CAIRO, October 12 (RIA Novosti) - The Egyptian foreign minister said he doubts that the peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis would be resumed in the nearest future.

"I strongly doubt that the talks between the two sides will resume soon," Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit said after his meeting with the White House Mideast envoy, George Mitchell, in Cairo.

The top Egyptian diplomat said that Mitchell, who is currently on a Mideast tour, is only forming a platform for the resumption of talks.

The issue of Jewish outposts construction in the West Bank is the main obstacle to reviving peace talks with the Palestinians, and a sticking point in relations with the United States, Israel's main strategic ally.

Under the internationally agreed roadmap for Middle East peace, Israel is obliged to freeze all settlement construction activity, and remove unauthorized outposts built since 2001 from the Palestinian territories.