RAMALLAH, March 25: UN chief Ban Ki-moon, on his first official visit to the region, called on Israelis and Palestinians on Sunday to seize the opportunity to revive stalled peace talks.“Above all, president (Mahmud) Abbas and I agreed on the importance of this moment,” Mr Ban told a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

“We have a number of important elements in play,” Ban said. “Progress will be very hard, the obstacles are enormous... but it can and must be done.” “My message to Israel and the world from here in Ramallah -- I'm convinced that president Abbas is ready.” The UN secretary general's visit comes amid intense diplomatic efforts to revive dormant peace talks.

Mr Ban urged the new Palestinian coalition cabinet, uniting Abbas's secular Fatah with Hamas to show a commitment to the peace process.

“I encourage this government and I hope its actions will show a genuine commitment... to peace,” he said, saying the new coalition should work to release an Israeli soldier captured by Gaza-based militants nine months ago, consolidate a ceasefire with Israel and re-establish law and order in Gaza.

“Such steps would address vital Palestinian interests and will be welcomed by the international community,” he said.

The international Quartet for Middle East peace has called on the new cabinet to renounce violence, recognise Israel and abide by past accords — conditions imposed a year ago when the West slapped a freeze on direct aid to the Palestinians after Hamas first took power.

Prime minister Ismail Haniya has said the new government will respect past accords, but he has also insisted on the Palestinians' right to resist Israeli occupation.

On Sunday Israel said the formation of the new government, which it has refused to recognise, could complicate the resumption of peace talks.

“The platform of the unity government -- the legitimisation of armed resistance, the violation of commitments by the president -- all this won't make contacts any easier in the future,” Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the weekly cabinet meeting.

Ban said he would tell Israel to stop settlement expansion and the construction of its controversial separation barrier in the occupied West Bank.

Abbas said this week's Arab summit in Riyadh offered “a unique opportunity to realise peace in the Middle East.” The summit is due to focus on a five-year-old Arab peace plan which Israel and the United States would like to see amended at the summit in Riyadh on Wednesday.

The blueprint calls for full normalisation of relations with Israel in return for a full Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands occupied in 1967 and the creation of a Palestinian state.—AFP