Israel wants immediate peace talks

JERUSALEM, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Israel is willing to engage in peace talks with the Palestinians immediately but with no preconditions, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Saturday night.

Speaking at a joint news conference with U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said the Palestinian demand to impose preconditions for negotiations to resume, does not help to advance peace negotiations.

"The Palestinian demand of preconditions is a change in policy never seen in 16 years," Netanyahu said in remarks broadcast live on Israel's Channel One television station. "The only way to reach an agreement is to start negotiating peace immediately."

Netanyahu referred to remarks made by Mahmoud Abbas earlier in the day, in which the Palestinian Authority president rejected the resumption of peace talks with Israel until a total West Bank settlement freeze is imposed.

"It is a fact the government under my leadership has agreed not to build new settlements and is prepared to adopt a policy of restraint on existing settlements that will allow for normal life to continue," the Israeli leader said.

Netanyahu said since he has taken office, hundreds of West Bank checkpoints have been dismantled and steps have been taken to boost Palestinian economy.

Netanyahu also repeated his willingness to accept a two-state solution -- a demilitarized Palestinian state side by side with the state of Israel.

Clinton, for her part, backed Netanyahu, saying his comments concerning preconditions were "historically accurate." The secretary of state said she believed when Netanyahu has the chance to present his government's proposal in full, Israel's stand will be viewed as unprecedented.

She described her meeting with Abbas in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as "effective and constructive,"

Earlier in the evening, Clinton met with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak. She concluded her whirlwind visit to Israel by meeting with Netanyahu and then departed for Morocco.