Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Palestinian Authority to encourage that body to accept the Israeli invitation to return to direct peace negotiations without preconditions.

​The UK continues to press both the Israelis and Palestinians to engage in direct negotiations that will lead to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. The Foreign Secretary and I reiterated our support for a negotiated two-state solution when we met Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki in London on 8 January. I also encouraged the Palestinians to re-engage in peace negotiations when I spoke to Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki on 21 January.