WASHINGTON. September 2. KAZINFORM Leaders of the U.S., Palestine, Israel, Egypt and Jordan on Wednesday all called for achieving a Middle East peace agreement as Israeli-Palestinian direct talks are set to start here on Thursday; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.

"Do we have the wisdom and the courage to walk the path of peace?" U.S. President Barack Obama, whose administration mediated the start of the talks, challenged the leaders.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the other four leaders at the White House, Obama said he was cautiously hopeful that a peace agreement can be reached.

At the same occasion, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak called on Israel to reach peace with the Palestinians, urging it to "totally halt settlement activity until the peace process comes to a conclusion."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country seeks a peace that will end the conflict once and for all and that will last for generations; Kazinform cites Xinhua.

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