The Quartet of mediators in the Middle East peace process called on Israelis and Palestinians to resume direct negotiations without delay and preconditions, the United Nations said, RIA Novosti reported.
The Quartet, comprising the UN, the European Union, Russia and the United States, resumed the talks this September with an aim to bring the two sides to the negotiating table after bilateral talks stalled last year. The negotiation process came to a halt in September 2010 over Israel's refusal to extend its ten-month freeze for settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The sides "discussed with the parties their development of proposals on territory and security, called on them to create a conducive environment for restarting talks and urged them to refrain from provocative actions," the UN News Centre said.
The Quartet envoys "continued to encourage the parties to resume direct bilateral negotiations without delay or preconditions," the UN said.
The next such meeting is scheduled to take place in December.