Avigdor Lieberman, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Israel, briefs the media after meeting with the U.N. Secretary-General, as Gabriela Shalev, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, listens at media stakeout at United Nations headquarters on 19 June 2009. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Friday that construction in Judea and Samaria is not an obstacle to peace and he blamed the Palestinian Authority for stalling peace efforts. Lieberman spoke in New York after meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. He was accompanied by deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon and Israel's ambassador to the U.N. Gabriella Shalev. "It is clear that the PA is using the question of construction in Judea and Samaria as an excuse to avoid negotiations," Lieberman said. "Each side has different opinions and we should start discussions without any pre-conditions," he added.