US upbeat about direct Mideast peace talks by September

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ROSEAU, Dominica : Australian batsman Ed Cowan (L) is congratulated by Ricky Ponting after scoring a half century during the third day of the third Test match between the West Indies and Australia here Wednesday. — AFP Photo

WASHINGTON, July 7 (Agencies): US President Barack Obama, dismissing cracks in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as unfounded , sounded upbeat that direct Middle East peace negotiations would be resumed by the end of September.
"I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu wants peace. I think he's willing to take risks for peace," Mr. Obama said.
"The fact of the matter is, is that I've trusted Prime Minister Netanyahu since I met him before I was elected president and have said so both publicly and privately," he said, brushing aside the reported rift between the two leaders.
The two leaders ducked the issues of Israel's deadly raid in May on a flotilla trying to break through Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip or Israel's rebuff of international demands for an apology. They also avoided the potentially explosive issue of Jewish settlements.
Mr. Netanyahu says he is ready to meet Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas at any time, but the Palestinians have yet to commit to direct talks, accusing the Jewish state of clouding the atmosphere with its continued settlement.
"When I say 'the next few weeks,' that's what I mean. The president means that too."
But challenge remains to get the Palestinian side to the negotiations table.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas "insists on the necessity of progress in indirect negotiations on core issues (borders, security) before going to direct negotiations," AFP quoted his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina as saying.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak Wednesday said he saw direct peace negotiations with the Palestinians starting "within a few weeks," his office said in a statement.