15/09/2011 11:29
International envoys attempt to head off Palestinian UN bid
Senior US and international envoys have begun a fresh round of shuttle diplomacy to try to head off a Palestinian bid for UN membership, BBC reported.
US diplomats Dennis Ross and David Hale, as well as EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Middle-East envoy Tony Blair are in the region to try to revive stalled peace talks.
Palestinians are preparing a bid for UN membership later this month.
Mr Ross and Mr Hale arrived in Israel on Wednesday and held talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak, the US State Department said.
Baroness Ashton also held talks with Mr Netanyahu on Wednesday morning, and announced she was extending her visit for further talks in the evening.
"I hope that in the coming days what we will be able to achieve together will be something that enables the negotiations to start," she said.