New York - The UN Security Council's Russian presidency on Monday called for the "rapid" resumption of peace talks to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the establishment of a two- state solution.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a specially convened session of the 15-nation council that the parties in the Middle East should not be driven by emotion but by the need to settle a destructive conflict.

He said Russia would support a resumption of the talks. Moscow plans to hold a conference on the Middle East, but no date has been announced for the talks.

The UN, the European Union, Russia and the United States - the so- called quartet - also plans to meet soon to discuss the issues. The quartet has called for the establishment of a Palestinian state existing in peace next to Israel.

Russia, which holds the rotating council presidency in May, convened the meeting to urge the peace talks. Lavrov and his counterparts from Britain, France, Turkey, Austria, Burkina Faso and Costa Rica attended.

Israel, however, said the council meeting would not contribute to the peace process.

"Israel does not believe that the involvement of the Security Council contributes to the political process in the Middle East," said Israeli UN Ambassador Gabriela Shalev. "This process should be bilateral and left to the parties themselves."

"Furthermore, the timing of this Security Council meeting is inappropriate as the Israeli government is in the midst of conducting a policy review, prior to next week's visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the United States," she said.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said there had been no progress since January to resolve the Israel-Hamas fighting in the Gaza Strip. Israel declared several unilateral ceasefires since the end of major fighting in January, but sporadic fighting has continued to erupt.

"Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is fundamental for the well-being of both peoples, the region and the world," Ban said. (dpa)