Annan arrives in West Bank for talks

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today following a series of meetings with Israeli leaders.

The worsening hardships in the Palestinian territories, following an international boycott of the Hamas government, and the fate of an Israeli soldier held by Hamas-allied militants, were expected to be on the agenda at the West Bank meeting.

Annan is on a regional tour aimed at trying to shore up a cease-fire that ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.