UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is urging Israel and Palestine to make more effort to make their resumed negotiations a success to achieve a two-state solution.

 

　　CRI's Su Yi has more.

 

　　Ban Ki-moon issued the call during his visit to Ramallah.

 

　　Ban called on both sides to avoid derailing the peace efforts.

 

　　"I remain deeply troubled by Israel's continuing settlement activity in the west bank, including east Jerusalem. Settlement activity is deepening the Palestinian people's mistrust in the seriousness on the Israeli side towards achieving peace. It will automatically make a two-state solution impossible."

 

　　Israeli and Palestinian negotiators restarted their direct talks in secrecy on Wednesday in Jerusalem.

 

　　Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the negotiations have just started and he cannot reveal details.

 

　　"I cannot speak what we have achieved. But we have discussed all the issues on the table, which mean border, Jerusalem, settlements, refugees, security and prisoners."

 

　　Abbas says the only way to reach peace is through negotiations.

 

　　"Palestinians have shown goodwill to reach peace. I hope Israel can also show their goodwill to stop settlement building and release all the Palestinian prisoners."

 

　　Ban Ki-Moon says the renewed hope brought by negotiations must be sustained.

 

　　"I understand that two parties have some understanding that you will exert all your efforts to make this negotiation a success to achieve a two-state solution. Then if you realize a two-state solution, I think you'll realize all your other priorities."

 

　　Ban is set to visit Jerusalem later today to meet Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Su Yi.