Germany urges Mideast direct talks

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Saturday urged Israel and the Palestinians to pursue direct negotiations.

"Our talks focused on the indirect talks. We hope the talks will be successful," Westerwelle told a Cairo news conference after meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Abul Gheit. Westerwelle praised Egypt's "constructive efforts" in Palestinian reconciliation which he said "would lead to more stability in the region." (AFP)