Shamir: West Bank won't figure in Washington talks

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir was to begin talks here today aimed at narrowing differences between the two sides over finding a Middle East peace settlement.

On his first visit to Washington since becoming prime minister on Oct. 10, Shamir is also expected to discuss with US officials means of dealing with Soviet and Syrian influence in the Middle East.

The Reagan administration has repeated its call for a freeze on new Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but Shamir said Sunday that the settlements would not be on the agenda.