The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Moscow

Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas called on Thursday for a Middle East peace conference in Moscow "as soon as possible," saying this was needed to spur talks with Israel that were "We want the Moscow conference to be held as soon as possible and we hope it will succeed in pushing the peace process forward," Abbas said in a lecture to Moscow university students.

Confirming that discussions were still under way on a date, Abbas said a new impetus was needed to follow up a conference last November hosted by US President George W. Bush in Annapolis, Maryland.

"I regret to say that there are obstacles hindering the application of what was agreed upon in Annapolis," said Abbas, whose visit was intended to lay the ground for the new conference.

"The negotiations are not advancing at the required pace or yielding the progress necessary for us to reach the agreed objectives by the agreed dates."

Palestinian officials have mentioned June as a possible date for the conference but Russia's foreign ministry confirmed that the timing had not been finalised, Interfax news agency reported.

Abbas is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

At the Annapolis meeting, Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally restarted negotiations after a seven-year freeze in the peace process, aiming to conclude a comprehensive agreement by the end of 2008 -- just before Bush leaves office.