Abbas mulls peace talks, expects US answers soon

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Mahmoud Abbas

TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters): Palestinian leaders have not set specific terms on which they would accept a US offer to mediate indirect peace talks with Israel, and expect clarification on such talks in a week, President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday.
The United States has proposed circumventing a dispute preventing the resumption of talks, stalled for more than a year since a war in Gaza, by reconvening in the form of 'proximity talks' on an indirect basis, under closer US mediation.
Israel has agreed to the formula but Abbas has said he will announce a decision after hearing answers to some questions he has put to Washington.
"The Palestinian side has not set any conditions in particular," said Abbas, speaking to reporters in Japan through an interpreter, when he asked under what conditions he would accept the US offer on the proximity talks.