US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Israel and the Palestinians to resume the peace talks immediately, Israeli Radio reported Thursday morning.

In a television interview, Clinton said that the US administration did not support a unilateral Palestinian step to ask the UN for recognition. Her statement followed assertions by President Mahmoud Abbas indicating he believed the US would back him in the move for recognition.

Clinton said that Washington believed that only way to reach a two-state solution was by means of negotiations, and that a return to the negotiating table is in both sides' interest.

From Tunis, Abbas reaffirmed to reporters Tuesday his intention to seek UN recognition of a Palestinian state by September, saying he believed he would have the backing of the US administration.

In an interview with the daily Al-Ayyam, the president said he would shortly ask his American counterpart "if he is capable of honoring his promise [for a Palestinian state in September] or not."

Abbas noted that "if the UN recognizes south Sudan as a state and does not recognize the Palestinian state, this will be disappointing."