U.S. President Barack Obama is to have lunch at the White House on Thursday, Nov 29, with defeated Republican election rival Mitt Romney, officials have confirmed, according to BBC News.

The face-to-face will be their first meeting since Obama overcame Romney in the Nov 6 election. On election night Obama pledged to meet the former Massachusetts governor for talks on how to "move this country forward".

The pair sparred in a bitter campaign and are said to have little rapport.

Over the course of three presidential debates, Obama and Romney interrupted each other frequently and sniped aggressively over policy and principle. However, they are now to meet in the private dining room at the White House, and the press will not be permitted to cover the lunch, the White House said on Wednesday.

The meeting comes as Obama and the Democrats negotiate with congressional Republicans over the impending "fiscal cliff" - a combination of tax rises and spending cuts set to occur on 1 January.

The measures were partly put in place within a 2011 deal to curb the yawning U.S. budget deficit, but also include the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans.

During the campaign, Romney called for sharp spending and tax cuts to fix the deficit. Obama insists the wealthy should pay more in taxes.

Romney has dropped out of sight since the election, and analysts say he has little influence on congressional Republicans.