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UN chief meets with Arab League leader on Middle East peace process

26 September 2010 04:35 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday met with Amr Musa, the secretary-general of the League of Arab States, to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, including the freeze on the Israeli new settlement construction in the occupied territory, APA reports quoting Xinhua News Agency.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the general debate of the UN General Assembly, took place just one day before the expiration of the 10-month moratorium on Israeli settlement activity.

Ban and Musa "discussed the launch of the direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and the importance of establishing the conditions for sustaining these talks, including the extension of the moratorium on settlement activity," said a readout issued here by Ban’s spokesman.

Palestinians and Israelis met in the first round of direct peace talks in 17 months in Washington in a bid to solve all outstanding issues within one year.

The peace process remains tense as Israel had imposed a partial moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank, which is due to expire on Sept. 26. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian negotiators have threatened to walk out of direct talks that resumed in Washington earlier this month if Israeli officials fail to extend the settlement freeze.

"The secretary-general noted the essential contribution of the League of Arab States Follow-Up Committee on the Arab Peace Initiative in helping to bring about Middle East peace," the readout added.