Abbas, Merkel talk over phone on resolving Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday called on Germany to join the international mechanism he proposed to sponsor negotiations between Palestine and Israel.

Abbas made the remarks during a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Palestinian state-run news agency (WAFA) reported.

Abbas briefed Merkel on why the Palestinians reject the U.S. Mideast peace plan, and explained the alternative initiative he presented to the UN Security Council, which is to hold an international peace conference that establishes an international multilateral mechanism.

The Palestinian news agency quoted Merkel as saying that her country's position is stable towards supporting the peace process based on the principle of a two-state solution.