Israel's new prime minister-designate, Tzipi Livni, took a timeout from her efforts to form a new government Sept. 23 to hold talks with the chief Palestinian peace negotiator, signaling she will keep negotiations going despite the country's political uncertainty.

The Palestinian negotiator, Ahmed Qureia, said he was reassured by her message and that he was still hopeful an agreement could be reached.

Livni and Qureia have been meeting regularly since peace talks were formally relaunched at a summit hosted by the United States last November. But the talks Sept. 23 in Jerusalem were the first since Livni was elected head of the ruling Kadima Party a week earlier, replacing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is being forced from office by a corruption scandal.

Late Sept. 22, Israeli President Shimon Peres formally gave Livni the task of putting together a new coalition government — a painstaking process that could take up to six weeks.

Qureia said that Livni assured him she would continue the negotiations throughout the coalition-building process.

"She stressed that she'll continue the peace process and that if she forms the new Israeli government, there will be no conditions or obstacles to continue the peace process," Qureia said.

Livni did not comment on the meeting and officials in her office did not return calls.

With U.S. prodding, Israel and the Palestinians set a year-end target for reaching a final peace accord that would end six decades of hostilities.