51.   Earlier in the day, Israeli and Palestinian officials held security talks.

52.   Foreign Minister Alexander Downer announced Monday that Australia will set up new formal security talks with its former military opponent Vietnam.

53.   George Tenet, the head of the CIA, was expected to chair the trilateral security talks, diplomatic sources said.

54.   He arrived in Singapore for Asian security talks and a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as part of the ASEAN Regional Forum.

55.   He is scheduled to hold security talks with Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and others during his four-day visit.

56.   He said the five-point plan envisages the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli security talks and increased Palestinian efforts to combat anti-Israeli terrorist attacks.

57.   However, Saeb Erekat, who heads the Palestinian team to the security talks, said no meeting was scheduled for Monday.

58.   In June, Bush invited North Korea to reopen security talks but Pyongyang has yet to respond.

59.   In phone calls Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell had asked Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to resume security talks.

60.   In response to the Israeli strike, Palestinian security officials canceled participation in U.S.-sponsored security talks that were to have taken place late Monday.