Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Thursday said the failure to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had contributed to unrest across the Middle East.

Fayyad said protests across the region reflected people's desire for political reform and their legitimate aspirations for democracy.

But while internal conditions sparked the wave of demonstrations across the Arab world, the PA premier said the ongoing occupation of Palestine was a source of growing despair for Arab people.

He said Israel's occupation remained a basic element in the instability of the region and urged the international community to work to realize the legitimate national rights of Palestinians.

Until a just peace was achieved in Palestine, the region could not move toward the next phase of economic growth, social justice and full political participation, he said.

The premier would not be drawn on his opinions of the huge protests in Egypt to ouster President Hosni Mubarak, insisting that he did not want to join "the long list of volunteers," who extended advice on the matter.

Fayyad was speaking from Paris, where he met Quartet representatives and ministers from donor countries to discuss efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood.