"Israel has never sought and does not seek to rule another nation. It does not believe in the two-nation state possibility as such a state would be under a threat of interminable controversy," Peres said at a solemn dinner on Wednesday night.
"We want a Jewish state peacefully co-existing near the State of Palestine which would also co-existed peacefully and safely," the Israeli president said. His speech was published by the Press Service of the Lithuanian President and the Israeli Embassy.
President Peres called the peace talks, launched earlier this week, "an opportunity to put an end" to the conflict with the Palestinians, although he noted that a long way was ahead and there might be more obstacles.
"Having cooperated when efforts were made to ensure peace, the European Union should also take part in the peace process itself and put every effort in promoting it, refrain from actions that might stall it," the Israeli president said.
Peres also warned that one should not make demands on borders too soon.
"It would be a mistake to try to establish the final borders before the end of the talks. We should allow both countries to talk directly for borders to be established by mutual consent," Peres said.
