PARIS: French President Nicolas Sarkozy telephoned Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening to discuss the peace process, a statement from his office said.

The French leader stressed two both men "the urgency of relaunching the peace process and the need for the sides to act in conformity with that objective," according to a statement released late Tuesday.

Sarkozy urged "a rapid renewal of direct negotiations, an extension of moratorium on colonisation and a halt to measures affecting the balances in Jerusalem."

"These negotiations should address all the issues linked to the final status including the questions about the territories on the basis of the 1967 borders" as well as other matters concerning security and Jerusalem, it added.

BDST: 1009 HRS, July 28, 2010