Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that Palestine and Israel should return to negotiation table and hold peace talks shortly.

Speaking to reporters after talks with Finnish President Tarja Halonen, Abbas, who arrived here on Wednesday evening for an official visit, said an international conference should be held immediately to help solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Abbas said that the Palestine National Authority is now in the severe financial difficulty and needs emergent financial aids.

He called on the European Union to continuously supply direct financial aids to the Palestine National Authority.

The financial situation in Palestine has been aggravated since the European Union and the United States suspended direct aid after the new Palestinian government led by Hamas was sworn in last month.

Abbas is currently on a European tour to appeal for financial support for the Palestinians. He will leave Finland on Thursday afternoon for France.

During his visit to Norway on Wednesday, Abbas also said that an international conference should be summoned immediately, in which direct negotiations take place on the basis of UN resolutions and signed agreements.

He said an international group should serve as a broker, possibly the Quartet formed by the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States.

Source: Xinhua