Sharon rejects talks on Jewish settlements

ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon yesterday rejected any talk of dismantling Jewish settlements in the foreseeable future despite US calls for conciliatory gestures to advance a new Middle East peace plan.

His remarks, underlining his rightist coalition's objections to the peace "road map", were in an interview published as he prepared for talks with the new reformist Palestinian premier later this week and US President George W Bush on May 20.

It was Sharon's second rebuff to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's requests for confidence-building measures, and was quickly condemned by Palestinian officials.