国际英语新闻：Abbas: moving to direct talks without progress is "absurd"

He added that the Palestinian side presented its vision concerning the two issues, adding "and we said if there is a progress in the two issues, we will move to the direct talks on all issues."

"The Palestinian leadership has given the international and American efforts so many opportunities, and we agreed to go first to proximity talks and we said that we are ready to move ahead if Israel positively responds," said Abbas.

Meanwhile, Abbas called on his bitter rival Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, to end the current internal rift and sign on the Egyptian brokered pact of Palestinian reconciliation.

He called on Hamas, which ousted his Fatah party in the legislative elections held in 2006, to let the Palestinian people say their word through the ballots.