"It should be clear that meeting with those who are going to dance around the golden calf in Geneva are making a mistake, because it is encouraging terrorists and harming the roadmap which the international community and especially the United States have sponsored," he said Sunday on condition of anonymity.

He was reacting to press reports on a possible meeting in Washington between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and the initiators of the Geneva Initiative, a peace blueprint drawn up by prominent figures on both sides without government backing.

According to Israeli public radio, Sharon is expected to warn the United States against such a move during his scheduled meeting Sunday with Washington's top envoy in the region, William Burns.

"One should bear in mind that in some democratic states such as the United States, those who are responsible for this initiative and thought it appropriate to sign an agreement with foreign agents without any official mandate, would be prosecuted," the Israeli official added.

The alternative peace plan deals with all key issues in the conflict and requires major concessions from both sides, with Israel relinquishing most of the West Bank and sharing sovereignty over Jerusalem and the Palestinians de facto waiving the right of return for refugees.

In a meeting with Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei on Saturday, Burns reiterated Washington's commitment to the roadmap blueprint, which was drafted by the US, United Nations, European Union and Russia, and paves the way for the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005.

Whilst stopping short of endorsing the Geneva initiative, Powell sent a letter of encouragement to the former ministers who initiated the plan, Yossi Beilin for the Israeli side and Yasser Abed Rabbo for the Palestinians.

WAR.WIRE