Collapse of ME talks :

US envoy seeks progress

ISRAEL: Washington's Middle East peace envoy said Monday he would strive to achieve "real progress" in the coming months toward a Middle East framework peace deal, despite the collapse of direct Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Launching the first round of shuttle diplomacy since negotiations hit an impasse over Jewish settlement building, George Mitchell met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his office in Jerusalem.

"In the days ahead our discussion with both sides will be substantive two-way conversations, with an eye toward making real progress in the next few months on the key questions of an eventual framework agreement," Mitchell said as talks began.

Mitchell shuttled between Israeli and Palestinian leaders for months before direct talks began in September. They broke down weeks later when Netanyahu refused to extend a 10-month freeze on housing starts in settlements in the occupied West Bank. Earlier this month Washington formally abandoned efforts to persuade Israel to agree to a partial renewal of the settlement moratorium in exchange for security guarantees.

Netanyahu praised Washington's move, telling a business forum in Tel Aviv on Monday: "I welcome this American decision. It is good for Israel. It is good for peace." Standing beside Mitchell later in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said the goal was now "a new path, to achieve a common goal which is to get a framework agreement for peace that will ensure both peace and security."

Mitchell will hold separate talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday in the occupied West Bank.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced on Friday the U.S. would refocus efforts on a return to indirect talks and would push to resolve core issues in the six-decade conflict. Jerusalem, Tuesday, Reuters