UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon called Tuesday on Israel and the Palestinian Authority to resume the Jordan-brokered exploratory talks, which ended last week, and were intended to set the stage for direct peace negotiations between the sides, dpa reported.
His call came as the Palestinians are deliberating whether to break off talks with Israel, for not yet having submitted proposals on the two negotiating issues of borders and security, and for its refusal to freeze construction in West Bank settlements.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to consult with the Arab League on Saturday, before making a final decision.
However, the Palestinian leader is under international pressure not to withdraw from the talks.
"I hope the preparatory talks which have taken place for five rounds of meetings here will continue and lead to serious negotiations to reach agreement for a two-state solution by the end of the year as envisaged by the Quartet," Ban said in Jordan.
The UN chief was speaking at a press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, at the end of talks that covered the outcome of three weeks of discussions in Amman between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators.
Ban was visiting Jordan on the first stop of a regional tour that is also scheduled to take him to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Judeh said that meetings between the two sides in Amman were suspended this week for "an assessment" of what had been achieved.
The UN Secretary General pledged to do his utmost to convince Israeli and Palestinian leaders to go back to the negotiating table, but urged the two sides to adopt confidence-building measures.
"In the short term, it essential that provocations stop ... and that the parties build confidence," he said.
"The two parties should show strong political will, courage and vision and think about their better future," he added.
Ban called on the Israeli government "to take some good gestures so that the meetings can continue" and on the Palestinians to change their mind and resume the Amman discussions.
Ban's visit to the region was part of a flurry of diplomatic activity, aimed at pressing Israel and the Palestinians to continue direct talks.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle is also due to meet Israeli and Palestinian officials, following on from other international mediators, including EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton, who visited the region last week.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officials, meeting overnight at Abbas' West Bank headquarters, said earlier that Israel was "fully responsible" for the "failure" of the Amman talks, because of its insistence on continuing settlement activities.
"Negotiations must be based on Israel's recognition of the 1967 borders, a stop to the settlements and the release of prisoners," they said in a statement.