Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and U.S. President Barack Obama have agreed that the U.S.-proposed indirect Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks would focus on the issues of security and borders, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported Tuesday.

In a phone conversation, the two leaders have also emphasized that neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis should make any " provocative" action "that could destroy the confidence" during the talks, according to Wafa.

Palestinian officials had said that they consider the " provocations" as the construction or the expansion of Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as a future capital.

The settlement activities had prevented the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli face-to-face negotiations since stalled in December 2008, and it has been until this month that the two sides accepted a U.S. proposal to hold indirect talks.

President Obama has told Abbas that he is committed to the success of the mission of his Middle East envoy George Mitchell, who would shuttle between Israel and the Palestinians during the negotiations "until reaching a two-state solution," Wafa said.

The Arab League, which endorsed the U.S. offer, said the talks should not exceed four months.