Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Friday on US president-elect Barack Obama not to waste any time in getting involved in the Israel-Palestinian peace process, after the US admitted that a peace deal by the end of the year is unlikely.
Addressing a joint news conference in Ramallah with visiting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Abbas said Palestinians wanted to continue their efforts to reach a final settlement with Israel, reported dpa.
Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged at last year's Annapolis peace summit to try and reach a peace agreement by the end of 2008.
Although formal negotiations resumed at the turn of the year, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino conceded Thursday that the end-of-year deadline was unlikely to be reached.
On Sunday Israeli and Palestinian officials will brief the peace process's sponsors on the progress they have made and the obstacles which still remain.