Sharon 'accepts March election'

Ariel Sharon met his party's MPs to discuss holding an early election

Israel's prime minister is prepared to agree to a demand by the new Labour Party leader that elections be held in March, its foreign minister says.

Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio that Ariel Sharon saw "no reason to delay the matter" of an election that had been planned for November next year.

Labour leader Amir Peretz wants to pull his party out of the coalition with Mr Sharon's Likud Party.

Mr Peretz will meet the prime minister on Thursday to discuss the election.

Former Labour leader Shimon Peres took his party into the coalition in January to support Mr Sharon's plans to pull Israeli troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip.

But the Israeli vice premier was beaten by Mr Peretz in a party leadership election last week.

After his victory, Mr Peretz said he would propose to Mr Sharon holding elections in March or May.

'No reason to delay'

Mr Shalom, speaking in Tunisia where he is attending an international IT summit, said Mr Sharon was prepared to accept the Labour Party's demands.

"I met the prime minister after the cabinet meeting on Sunday and we discussed it, and if Peretz wants elections he can get elections," Mr Shalom told Israel Radio.

"There is no reason to delay the matter. March is the right month," he added.

The Likud's parliamentary group held a meeting with Mr Sharon on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of an early election.

A communique given to Israel Radio said that it viewed the disbanding of the coalition government an irresponsible political action by the Labour Party.

It also said Likud is "uniting in the face of Mr Peretz's extremist plans, which endanger Israel's security and economy".