国际英语新闻：Abbas urges further efforts for Mideast peace

RAMALLAH, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on Tuesday for intensifying efforts to make peace in the Middle East.

"The pace of peacemaking in the region must be accelerated," Abbas told a press conference in Ramallah following a meeting with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Abbas said the Palestinians would spare no efforts to achieve peace. "We believe in peace and believe that peace should be made as soon as possible," he said.

He also reiterated his readiness to resume direct negotiations if Israel positively responded to the disputed questions of security and borders.

The United States succeeded in May to mediate indirect proximity talks between the Palestinians and Israel. However, the talks are still futile so far.

Direct peace talks halted in December 2008 after Israel launched a wide-scale offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to stop "firing rockets and topple Hamas reign" in the enclave.