Palestine: Berlusconi - Israel needs to stop expanding its settlements in Palestinian territories

Xinhua - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday in Rome in an attempt to boost support for re-launching peace talks in the Middle East.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Abbas, Berlusconi the premier said Israel needs to stop expanding its settlements in Palestinian territories in order to allow peace talks to resume.

Israel should "take the first step towards reopening negotiations by putting a freeze on their settlements," he said.

Berlusconi also described Abbas as "a wise man, one endowed with common sense and a strong will", saying Italy backed Abbas' efforts to "bolster democracy, relaunch the economy and consolidate security" in the Palestinian territories.

The premier said he told Abbas Italy's support "in all fields and in every direction to help Palestine and help foster a return to negotiation."

The success of the negotiations, Berlusconi said, "is important not only for Israel and Palestine, but for the whole Middle East region."

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