Paris  - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday in Paris that he hoped the upcoming Israeli elections did not mean the Middle East peace process would have to start again from square one.

"We will work together with anyone the Israeli people elect, as long as we don't have to start at the beginning again," Abbas said one week before Israeli general elections are to be held.

Speaking after talks with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, he noted that last year's negotiations at least made all sides aware of what the other side was demanding.

Abbas called on the future Israeli government to accept the Arab peace plan, which calls for an Israeli retreat from the occupied territories as well as the official recognition of the Israeli state by all Arab nations.

"Israel should accept this proposal. There will not soon be another opportunity to make peace," he said.

Abbas's visit to Paris was the first stop of a European tour that will focus on the situation in the Middle East. On Monday he met with President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. No details were released about that meeting.

In addition to Abbas, special US envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, also came to Paris on Monday and held discussions with Sarkozy and Kouchner. The French government issued no information about those meetings either. (dpa)