Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath urged Israeli government on Tuesday to take concrete measures to build mutual confidence and assist the smooth running of the Palestinian election early January.

"There is optimism all around regarding this new drive to get the peace process back in line but I'd like to say the there are really several steps the Israeli must take before making it (the optimism) concrete," Shaath told a press conference after holding talks with his Dutch counterpart Bernard Bot, whose country hosts the European Union (EU) rotating presidency.

Shaath said that Israeli should take some measures on the ground including the freeze of building new settlements, pulling out troops occupying Palestinian towns, taking away check pointsand allowing free campaign and election activities.

Israel had promised the full participation of Palestinians in East Jeruesl in the election but Israel had still not allowed there opening of Palestinian election office and other institutions in East Jerusle, said Shaath.

As for the Monday meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Shaath said the meeting was "very short and only help producing a better climate in this Euro-Mediterranean meeting."

"What Mr. Shalom said was very broad," he added.

It was the first meeting between the two ministers in several months. Both of them are here attending the Euro-Mediterranean foreign ministers meeting.

This regional forum comprises 25 EU nations and 10 Mediterranean countries including Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Syria and Turkey.

Source: Xinhua