Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday discussed with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon what she said were threats from Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas.

Livni also pledged her nation will press ahead with efforts to reach a political settlement with the Palestinian Authority, undeterred by political uncertainty over Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's resignation.

"The internal situation in Israel doesn't affect the interests of Israel as a state," Livni told reporters at U.N. headquarters.

Livni, a contender to replace Olmert as prime minister and also as leader of their Kadima party, emphasized that Israel also will continue to negotiate with Palestinians in accord with last year's U.S.-brokered deal in Annapolis, Maryland.

"This represents the only way to implement the vision of two states for two peoples into a peace treaty," she said. "We continue to do so."

Livni, before speaking briefly to reporters, met with Ban and discussed with him what she termed the "global threat" that Iran poses as well as threats from Hizbullah and the Islamic Hamas movement, which won the 2006 legislative elections and took control of Gaza last year.

"It's not anymore the conflict that used to be perceived as between Israel and the Palestinians, or the Jews and Arabs. It is more a conflict between extremists and moderates," she said.

Ban's spokesperson Michele Montas told reporters that the meeting tackled the Middle East peace process, including Lebanon.

Montas also later said that the topic of Israeli overflights in Lebanon did come up during the meeting between Ban and Livni.(AP-Naharnet)