US Envoy Meets Palestinian President
VOA News
14 December 2010
U.S. envoy George Mitchell says the United States is determined to persevere in its efforts to negotiate peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Mitchell held talks on the Middle East peace process with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah Tuesday, after holding a session late Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Aides to President Abbas said Mitchell presented some U.S. ideas on how to move forward. They did not elaborate further.
Palestinians have been frustrated by a lack of progress in talks. On Monday, the Palestinian leadership called for an urgent meeting with diplomats from the U.S., the European Union, the United Nations and Russia - a group known as the Middle East Quartet.
Palestinian advisor Yasser Abeh Rabbo said he wanted the quartet to lay the groundwork for a renewal of the peace process. Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down after an Israeli settlement construction moratorium expired in September.
The U.S. State Department says Mitchell's meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu Monday was "long and positive." The meeting came just days after the U.S. decided to stop pushing Israel to halt construction of new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Mr. Netanyahu welcomed the decision, saying Israelis and Palestinians need to discuss the core issues that are dividing them. However, Palestinians have said they will not return to direct talks unless Israel halts the construction.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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