In a one-on-one session between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres following yesterday\'s cabinet meeting, Sharon authorized Peres to begin a dialogue with senior PA officials. Sharon refused Peres\' request for a direct meeting with Arafat. Peres had been pressing the Prime Minister for a long time to negotiate under fire, but until now, Sharon refused to budge on the issue. According to the agreement, Peres will meet with PA officials in a clandestine fashion, far away from the media and will be accompanied by Major-General Giora Eiland who will provide expert counsel on security matters. Talks with PA officials will only deal with \"efforts to achieve a cease-fire\" and will not include political issues that would constitute diplomatic negotiations.