Obama Urges Netanyahu to Relaunch Peace Talks
U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume negotiations with the Palestinians "as soon as possible," the White House said.
The two leaders spoke by telephone as Secretary of State John Kerry made his latest trip to the region as part of marathon efforts to relaunch peace talks that last collapsed in 2010.
"The president encouraged Prime Minister Netanyahu to continue to work with Secretary Kerry to resume negotiations with the Palestinians as soon as possible," the White House said in a statement.
The White House said the two leaders also discussed "recent developments in Egypt, Iran and Syria," without providing further details.
"The leaders affirmed the importance of continued close coordination between the United States and Israel on a range of security issues," it said.
On his sixth trip to the region in as many months, Kerry was struggling to finalize a blueprint for resumed talks.
A U.S. official had earlier warned that Kerry was unlikely to be able to announce a breakthrough in his efforts despite extending until Friday his latest round of shuttle diplomacy.
Source: Agence France Presse
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