Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said here on Tuesday he was following the U.S. presidential election with interest and hoped that the new president would have more success with promoting peace in the Middle East than his predecessor.

Hungarian News Agency MTI quoted Abbas as saying that "we hope that he will do better in the future than had been done in the past." "We are waiting for the change and hope they will bring peace to us," Abbas added.

Abbas said both candidates were working for peace, whoever wins, Palestine is ready to cooperate.

Speaking of the Israel's elections, Abbas said whoever wins Israeli parliamentary elections, Palestinians will cooperate with him.

Abbas arrived here for a two-day visit on Tuesday. He had a meeting with Hungarian Speaker of Parliament Katalin Szili on Tuesday, and will have talks with Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom and Foreign Minister Kinga Goncz on Wednesday.

(Xinhua News Agency November 5, 2008)