<p><br /> US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for direct talks to resume to try to reach a peace deal in the Middle East.<br /> </p><p><br /> America's top diplomat has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahua and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to Washington for a September 2nd meeting.<br /> </p><p><br /> "There have been difficulties in the past, there will be difficulties ahead. .. I ask the parties to persevere, to keep moving forward even through difficult times and to continue working to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region," Clinton said in a statement.<br /> </p><p><br /> The talks would be aimed at creating a Palestinian state.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Quartet - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - said in June that peace talks would be expected to conclude in 24 months, but the new draft says 12 months.<br /> </p><p><br /> The Palestinian Authority government intends to have established all the attributes of statehood by mid-2011.<br /> </p><p><br /> The peace process resumed in May after a hiatus of 19 months but stalled over the terms of an upgrade from indirect talks mediated by US envoy George Mitchell to direct negotiations.<br /> </p><p><br /> Israel insists it is ready for direct talks provided there are no preconditions. The Palestinians are ready provided there is a clear agenda. Israel says an agenda means preconditions.<br /> </p>
