U.S. President Barack Obama met with his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres at the White House on Tuesday, with the two sides focusing on bilateral cooperation and the stalled Middle East peace process, the White House said.

"The two presidents exchanged views on the opportunities and challenges, including the pursuit of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East and Iran's nuclear program," the White House said in a pretty short statement after the closed-door meeting.

Obama is looking forward to his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later this month, the statement added.

In addition to Netanyahu, Obama has invited Egyptian and Palestinian leaders to visit the White House over the next few weeks to discuss the Middle East peace process.

During his stay in Washington, Peres attended an annual convention of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel lobby.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2009)