Israelis, Palestinians hold 'productive' direct talks

WASHINGTON: Israeli and Palestinian officials met for direct talks for the first time in three years Monday, with the United States urging both sides to make the tough compromises needed to reach a peace deal.

In a symbolic message of peace and tolerance, Israeli chief negotiator Tzipi Livni and her Palestinian counterpart Saeb Erakat sat down side-by-side opposite US top diplomat John Kerry to share a traditional Muslim itfar meal just after sunset.

"It was a constructive and productive meeting between the parties. They engaged in good faith and with seriousness of purpose," a senior State Department official said in a statement, after the dinner lasting about 90 minutes.

"We are looking forward to continuing the talks tomorrow morning."

In the elegant Thomas Jefferson room at the State Department, Kerry had welcomed the two teams to the flower-bedecked table for a dinner of grilled Atlantic grouper and apricot upside down cake, hailing the moment as "very, very special."

"There's not very much to talk about at all," he joked, seeking to break the ice at a landmark moment that many hope may help lead to a long sought after breakthrough in the deadlocked peace process.

The new US secretary of state, who has staked much of his reputation on bringing both sides back to the talks, will also host a three-way meeting on Tuesday, before making a statement to reporters around 11:00 am (1500 GMT) accompanied by the two negotiators.

Kerry was flanked at the dinner by seasoned diplomat Martin Indyk whom he named earlier as the US special envoy to the talks, and by White House Middle East advisory Phil Gordon on the other.

President Barack Obama has welcomed the start of the talks, calling it a "promising step" forward but warning of "hard choices."