Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday that Israel and the Palestinian Authority need to reach a long-term interim agreement in their diplomatic talks. Speaking to Czech President Petr Necas during a meeting in Prague, Lieberman said, "Any attempt to artificially hurry the process can be compared to a premature birth that endangers both sides, the mother as well as the baby. So it is in this case that we must go forward at a natural pace."
Lieberman met with other senior Czech officials on a range of bilateral matters, such as economic cooperation, including the field of research and development. They also discussed issues involving the European Union.