New York - Israeli President Shimon Peres said Wednesday his government agrees with a Saudi peace proposal to settle the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.

Peres told the UN General Assembly that Israel agrees with the Arab call that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be solved through military means and that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East is "the strategic option of the Arab countries."

"This is Israel's strategy as well," Peres said in a UN debate on religion and peace.

"These expression in the Arab peace initiative are inspirational and promising - a serious opening for real progress," he said.

Peres said the comprehensive settlement requires the completion of bilateral negotiations with Palestinians and "sharing the painful cost."

"We are ready for this as we have proved many times in the past," he said.

Peres was attending the two-day assembly session on religion and peace at UN headquarters in New York. He was joined by the kings of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain, and the emirs of Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. A total of 70 governments, many with delegations headed by presidents and prime ministers, were in attendance.

Saudi King Abdullah, whose kingdom has been criticized for human rights violations, told the assembly that "human beings were created as equals and partners on this planet; either they live in peace and harmony, or they will inevitably be consumed by the flames of misunderstanding, malice and hatred."

Abdullah spoke against terrorism and criminality as enemies of religion and civilization. He made no mention of the Mideast peace process.

The king has been one of the strongest promoters for the dialogue among cultures, religions and civilizations.

"I can assure all states of the world, their peoples, their leaders and their organizations that our concern for dialogue stems from out Islamic faith and values, and our compassion for the human conditions, in order to overcome the miseries," he said. (dpa)