"We have reiterated our readiness to return to the negotiation table, as long as Israel maintains its commitments," Abbas told a joint press conference after meeting Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in Rome during his official visit to Italy.

"We know Italy has excellent relations with Israel, and hope it carries his usual role in the endeavor," Abbas said, adding the two leaders, during their meeting, discussed "how to support the path to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians.""All Palestinians know how important the Italian support is for the development of infrastructure, for projects in municipalities, education and health," Abbas said, also recalling the many visits by Italian public figures, including that of Napolitano to Bethlehem last year.

He added the PNA and Italy were also studying "ways to further develop bilateral relations and strengthen political consultations, with the establishment of a bilateral ministerial committee."Napolitano said there are the right conditions to "seek the real possibility of an agreement with Israel for at least reversing the trend towards a deterioration or a freeze of an untenable situation."Given its historic friendship with Israel and its government, Italy "earnestly desires the utmost attention from the Israeli authorities to the needs and proposals coming from the Palestinian side," he said.

The Italian president added that moving ahead was more and more fundamental in a changing world, and especially in a region such as the Middle East, which is strongly developing.

Napolitano also noted that the PNA historical experience may be "a very successful factor in facilitating solutions for the maximum stabilization" of the North African and Middle East countries that have fallen into political uncertainties.