Ramallah - Palestinian and Israeli peace negotiators will meet in Washington in ten days with US administration representatives attending the meeting, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday.

Spokesman Nabil Abu Rdineh said the meeting was intended to give a stronger push to the peace talks between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel.

There's not much time to reach an agreement before the end of the year, Abu Rdineh said.

The parties hope to reach a deal paving the way for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel before US President George W Bush leaves the White House in January.

Abu Rdineh blamed Israel for the delay as more than six months have passed since the peace negotiations were launched at a US-hosted conference.

"None of the final-status issues has been settled so far. We still have time but not much time," Abu Rdineh said.

The construction of Israeli settlements in east Jerusalem an the West Bank hinders the talks since the Palestinians consider the two territories as part of their future state. (dpa)