Mideast mediators to meet next week with parties

Mediators from the international group working to mediate in the Middle East conflict are to meet separately with the Israelis and Palestinians next week, the US State Department said Tuesday, dpa reported.

Representatives from the Middle East Quartet - comprised of the US, European Union, United Nations and Russia - will meet with both parties in Jerusalem next Monday, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters in Washington.

US envoy David Hale will also meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli negotiator Itzhak Molcho on Sunday.

"The objective, obviously, will be to try to work with each of these parties along the lines that we've been talking about, as outlined in the September 23rd Quartet statement, to encourage them and offer support to them and assistance to them in coming up with proposals for each other on land and on security, which we would hope could be exchanged within 90 days from the end of October," she said.

Earlier efforts by the Quartet to revive the talks have fallen short.

The most recent meetings held two weeks ago came one month after the Quartet issued a statement, proposing the resumption of talks within in one month. The sides were to hold a preparatory meeting setting the agenda first, then focus on the two issues of borders and security, and reach final deal by the end of 2012.

The Quartet made the proposal on the day Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas submitted a historic application to the UN to be recognized as a member state. The Security Council has yet to vote on the proposal, as members have attempted to reignite stalled talks in the meantime.