His Majesty King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday underlined the need for effective international action to create the appropriate atmosphere for launching serious Palestinian-Israeli negotiations as soon as possible.

The objective of such negotiations should be a two-state solution, which is key to achieving peace, security and stability in the Middle East, the two leaders said at a summit yesterday in Cairo.

At the meeting, discussed recent efforts to launch serious and effective Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

At yesterday's summit, the King briefed Mubarak on the outcome of his talks with US President Barack Obama last month that focused on Washington's central role in advancing peace efforts and realising tangible progress in negotiations on the basis of the two-state solution and the international terms of reference, especially the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

During the talks, which continued over a lunch banquet, the two leaders underscored the significance of continued coordination and consultation in developing a unified Arab position that would serve common Arab interests and meet common challenges.

Talks also covered the latest developments in the Cairo-mediated dialogue between the Palestinian factions. The two leaders said it was important to realise Palestinian accord and reconciliation and end the divide in order to realise the Palestinians' aspirations of establishing an independent state on Palestinian national soil.

The two leaders stressed the need to freeze all Israeli settlement activities, especially in Jerusalem.

King Abdullah and Mubarak also reviewed means to foster bilateral ties in political, economic and commercial fields.

In remarks to the press, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh said King Abdullah and Mubarak in their talks stressed the need to immediately push for serious and direct negotiations, rather than prolonging or restarting the peace process.

Judeh said that regional peace is not only in the interest of those directly involved in the issue, but is also in the interests of the US and all those who want peace and stability in the Middle East. He stressed that the US commitment to the two-state solution and a comprehensive approach to regional issues is the most important pressure card the Arabs have.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said King Abdullah spoke during his recent visit to the US on behalf of both Jordan and the greater Arab world, adding that the King conveyed to the Americans the Arab position on peace.

Later on Tuesday, King Abdullah arrived in Berlin, where he will hold talks Wednesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the situation in the Middle East and efforts to re-launch Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

King Abdullah is also scheduled to meet with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss means to bolster bilateral ties.