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Plan for Israel-Palestinian Peace Talks Coming Soon

19 August 2010 22:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. U.S. officials say a plan will soon be released to start direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, APA reports quoting voanews.com website.

A State Department spokesman said an agreement was "very, very close" but that details were still being worked out.

News agencies reported the plan, which will set the agenda for the talks, could be issued as soon as Friday. The last round of direct talks between the two sides broke off in December 2008.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has insisted on having an agenda and a timeline for the talks before sitting down with the Israeli side. Palestinians are also insisting that Israel cease settlement activity in land that Palestinians want for a future state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is ready to begin negotiations, but objects to there being any preconditions.

The plan for direct talks is the work of the International Quartet of world powers overseeing the Middle East peace process. They include the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.