Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat announced on Monday that US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is to pay a first visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories next week.

Erekat told Palestinian Radio "Voice of Palestine" on telephone that "Clinton will visit Israel and the West Bank city of Ramallahon March 3 to 4, right after she joins the donors conference due in Egypt on March 2."

It is a first visit of Clinton to the area since her sworn-in as US Secretary of State last month. However, she visited Gaza and the West Bank in 1999 when she was US First Lady with her husband, former US President Bill Clinton.

Erekat also said that the special US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, who will arrive in the region before Clinton, will hold talks with west-supported President Mahmoud Abbas on February 27.

Erekat, who is currently joining President Abbas in an official visit to Czech Republic, said that Clinton will meet with Abbas right after the Cairo Donors Conference.

"The talks with Clinton would tackle the program of the Israeli government," Erekat told the Radio, adding "Any Israeli government has to stop settlements and be committed to the signed deals and the two state-solution."

He added that "if the Israeli government will not be committed to these three major demands, it will not be considered as a peace partner. This is what we will ask from the new American Administration."