Rice said the United States was "deeply committed" to finding ways to accelerate the stalled "road map" peace plan in order to "show to the Palestinian people how we might move toward the establishment of a Palestinian state."
Rice offered no details on how Washington would expand its involvement. Israeli officials said Rice was exploring several options, including the creation of a Palestinian state with temporary borders, an idea rejected by Abbas.
Rice offered no details on how Washington would expand its involvement. Israeli officials said Rice was exploring several options, including the creation of a Palestinian state with temporary borders, an idea rejected by Abbas.
"I have stressed to the secretary of state our rejection of temporary solutions, including provisional borders for our state," Abbas said with Rice at his side at a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
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more:
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1498896.htmRice: U.S. will deepen role in Mideast peace processRAMALLAH, West Bank, Jan 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday that Washington would deepen its involvement in trying to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"I have heard loud and clear the call for deeper American engagement in these processes," Rice said in a news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after they held talks in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
"You will have my commitment to do precisely that," she told Abbas.
more;
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L1467943.htmAbbas tells Rice: Temporary Palestinian state opposedPOSTED: 5:45 a.m. EST, January 14, 2007
Story Highlights• President Mahmoud Abbas meets with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
• Rice says U.S. will deepen its involvement in Mideast peace efforts
• Meeting of different Palestinian factions scheduled for Sunday in Gaza
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday he opposes the establishment of a provisional Palestinian state in temporary borders.
Such an idea was floated last month by Israel's foreign minister and is also part of the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan.
Abbas said Sunday that he opposes the idea.
"We told Secretary Rice that we reject any temporary solutions, including a transitional stage, because we don't see it as a realistic option," Abbas told a joint news conference with Rice.
Abbas also said he is determined to go ahead with early elections if the latest round of coalition talks with Hamas fails.
Rice responded by reiterating the U.S. commitment to the internationally backed "road map" peace plan that calls for the creation of a Palestinian state.
more:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/14/rice.mideast.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest