Obama Phones Palestinian President On Peace Effort

`Obama reiterated that he will work in full partnership with President Abbas to achieve peace in the region,` said Saeb Erekat.

U.S. President Barack Obama pledged in a telephone call on Wednesday to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to try to achieve Middle East peace, a Palestinian official said.

"Obama reiterated that he and his administration will work in full partnership with President Abbas to achieve peace in the region," said Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian negotiator in peace talks with Israel.

In Jerusalem, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he was not immediately aware whether Obama, who has pledged to pursue Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts early into his administration, also had telephoned the Israeli leader.