Israeli and Palestinian officials are to travel to London Monday for a series of meetings aimed at furthering reforms in the Palestinian Authority, officials on both sides said. An Israeli delegation is to head out Monday afternoon to participate in a series of sessions about economic reforms, foreign ministry spokesman Jonathan Peled said.The group will include Yossi Gal, deputy director general of the finance ministry and two other unidentified officials.

"The Israeli delegation is going to meet members of the quartet's task force (on Palestinian reforms) and is to be involved in only one part of the series of meetings, that which involves economic issues," Peled said.

He was referring to the diplomatic quartet comprising the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations, which is developing a "roadmap" for Middle East peace.

"Israel is expecting to be able to show there has been progress in economic issues at this meeting," he added, without giving further details.

Although Israel is not part of the task force, the delegation was invited by the quartet.

Meanwhile, a Palestinian delegation was set for talks with the quartet's International Task Force on Palestinian Reform, and its Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), which brings together major aid donors to the Palestinian Authority, a Palestinian official said.

Among those attending would be information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo, chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, finance minister Salam Fayyad and economy minister Maher al-Masri, the Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam reported Saturday.

The meeting of the AHLC, which identifies priority areas for donor assistance in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was called on Friday by Norway, which chairs the committee.

Among those invited to the AHLC meetings, which will take place in London on Tuesday and Wednesday, were the United States, the EU, Japan, Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia, along with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Norway said.

The quartet has been working on a three-phase "roadmap" for Middle East peace, which would include the creation of a fully-fledged Palestinian state by 2005.

PHOTO CAPTION

Israeli official Yos