(Adds quotes, details) By Arshad Mohammed and Alaa Shahine SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The Quartet of Middle East peace mediators sought on Sunday to keep alive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks although political uncertainty in Israel has scotched hopes for a deal this year. The European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States strongly backed the talks launched at Annapolis, Maryland, nearly a year ago by U.S. President George W. Bush, despite expectations he will fail to meet his year-end target. The talks have been hobbled from the start by violence and bitter disputes over Jewish settlement building and the future of Jerusalem, and the process could fall apart amid political transitions in Israel and the United States. Sitting side by side at a round table, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas briefed the Quartet and said they had reached a number of agreements, including "the need for continuous, uninterrupted, direct bilateral negotiations". They asked the international community to support the parties' efforts in the framework of the Annapolis process, the Quartet said in a statement read by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. "The Quartet emphasised the importance of continuity of the peace process," Ban said. Mediators agreed that the spring of 2009 could be an appropriate time for an international peace meeting in Moscow. The White House conceded this week that Bush was unlikely to achieve his goal of securing a peace deal to end the decades-old conflict before he leaves office in January. Bush had hoped an agreement would improve a legacy burdened by the war in Iraq. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, wrapping up what is likely to be her last visit to the region before stepping down, joined Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and EU foreign policy Chief Javier Solana at the meeting. "What we heard today from the parties, which is the most important element of this, is that they believe in the Annapolis process," Rice told reporters. NEW U.S. ADMINISTRATION The Quartet reiterated a call to the sides to carry out fully obligations such as freezing settlement activity and dismantling militant infrastructure. It also offered support for expanding ongoing diplomatic efforts toward regional peace. While the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks are expected to continue next year, political uncertainty in Israel and Barack Obama's victory in the U.S. presidential election leave the Bush administration with limited influence in its waning days. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "The single most important thing is that the new administration in the United States grips this issue from day one, and it can do so knowing that there is a foundation on which we can build." An aide to Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa urged the Obama administration to put the Israeli-Palestinian issue at the top of its priorities once it comes into office. "This will affect the general atmosphere and other conflicts in the region," said Hesham Youssef, Moussa's chief of staff. "Are these talks by themselves a goal? No. They are a means to achieve peace and this has not happened." The chances of a peace deal this year were always remote and appeared to evaporate entirely when Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced his decision to resign because of a corruption scandal, triggering plans for a Feb. 10 election in Israel. Livni, speaking to Israel Radio before the talks, reaffirmed Israel's commitment to the Annapolis process. "If I thought hope was gone, I would not be attending today," she said. It is unclear how much emphasis Obama will place on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and Palestinian officials have repeatedly said they are worried Israel would use any lull in talks to expand Jewish settlements. "Here we face a vacuum created because of the American election and because of the coming Israeli elections and we hope that the Quartet will help us so the Israelis will not use this vacuum to increase the settlements, to increase the incursions, to increase the attacks and the roadblocks on the Palestinian people," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Saturday. (Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (R) visits an exhibit of photographs from Kristallnacht, before the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem November 9, 2008, in this picture released by the Israeli Government ...
Egypt
