(Reuters).Back on track? US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday she expects Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks - indirect discussions through US mediators - to begin next week.
"We will be starting with proximity talks next week," Clinton told reporters, saying US special envoy George Mitchell would be returning to the Middle East.
Clinton said the US expected an Arab foreign ministers meeting on Saturday to endorse the new talks, which would give Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas political cover to resume indirect negotiations.
"Ultimately we want to see the parties in direct negotiations and working out all the difficult issues," Clinton said during a meeting with visiting Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah.
"They've been close a few times before," Clinton said. "So we are looking to see the resumption of those discussions."
On Friday, State Department Spokesman Phillip Crowley said the US was "working around the clock to move forward with proximity talks. He added that the US hopes that indirect talks "will set the stage for a resumption of direct negotiations on all permanent status issues as soon as possible."
As part of the efforts to convince the Palestinians to enter the talks, the US has given Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas private assurances, including an offer to consider allowing UN Security Council condemnation of any "significant new Israeli settlement activity," the Guardian reported overnight Friday.
"We will be starting with proximity talks next week," Clinton told reporters, saying US special envoy George Mitchell would be returning to the Middle East.
Clinton said the US expected an Arab foreign ministers meeting on Saturday to endorse the new talks, which would give Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas political cover to resume indirect negotiations.
"Ultimately we want to see the parties in direct negotiations and working out all the difficult issues," Clinton said during a meeting with visiting Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah.
"They've been close a few times before," Clinton said. "So we are looking to see the resumption of those discussions."
On Friday, State Department Spokesman Phillip Crowley said the US was "working around the clock to move forward with proximity talks. He added that the US hopes that indirect talks "will set the stage for a resumption of direct negotiations on all permanent status issues as soon as possible."
As part of the efforts to convince the Palestinians to enter the talks, the US has given Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas private assurances, including an offer to consider allowing UN Security Council condemnation of any "significant new Israeli settlement activity," the Guardian reported overnight Friday.
