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Top Obama security aide heads to Middle East

Other News Materials 12 January 2010 01:34 (UTC +04:00)
President Barack Obama's national security advisor James Jones will head to the Middle East this week, as the administration opens a fresh bid to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Top Obama security aide heads to Middle East

President Barack Obama's national security advisor James Jones will head to the Middle East this week, as the administration opens a fresh bid to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, AFP reported.

Jones will meet meet key leaders of Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Palestinian territories to "discuss the "full range of regional challenges and opportunities at this critical time," his spokesman Mike Hammer said.

The mission coincides with an effort by US Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell to rally Europe behind the new American efforts to work towards a two-state peace deal.

"We are working with the parties to resume negotiations as soon as possible with a set timetable for their successful conclusion," Mitchell told reporters after meeting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Paris.

An EU spokesman in Brussels meanwhile said Mitchell and other special representatives of the Middle East diplomatic "Quartet" will meet in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss the new US plan to restart peace talks.

Obama made Middle East peace moves a priority after taking office last year, but has had little success, with Israel defying calls for a settlement freeze and Arab nations refusing to make concessions to the Jewish state.

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