Abbas says wants progress for direct Mideast talks

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday he wanted progress in indirect peace talks with Israel before any move to face-to-face talks, which the United States wants the two sides to begin.

US President Barack Obama urged the two sides this week to resume direct talks by September. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met Obama in Washington on Tuesday, says he wants to negotiate directly with Abbas. But Abbas faces heavy domestic criticism over the failure of past negotiations and is wary of agreeing to more direct talks with Netanyahu's right-wing government. (Reuters)