JERUSALEM, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday evening that there was no point in holding another Middle East peace conference, local daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

    Olmert made the remarks after Lavrov presented the idea of holding an international peace conference later this year in Moscow that would constitute the continuation of the Annapolis peace conference hosted by the United States last November which helped resume peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (L) meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Jerusalem on March 20, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Olmert said the utility of such meeting needs to be examined first. "At this time, there is no reason for another conference," he was quoted saying.

    Earlier in the day, Lavrov said at a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Muallem in Damascus that Moscow was preparing to host a Middle East peace conference.

    "We have not sent invitations. We are studying the positions of prospective delegates and we will make a decision soon," he said.

    Lavrov stressed the international peace conference in Moscow will also attempt to restart peace talks between Israel and Syria on the occupied Golan Heights.

    "There is a priority to the Palestinian track, but at the same time, we agree on the need to achieve a comprehensive settlement and resume negotiations on all tracks," he said.

    Peace talks between arch-foe Syria and Israel foundered in 2000over the fate of the strategic Golan Heights, which was occupied by the Jewish state in the 1967 Middle East war.