Rice to hold talks with PA leadership

[IndianaGreen]

Mon., February 07, 2005 Shvat 28, 5765

Rice to hold talks with PA leadership

By Haaretz Service and agencies

In the first visit by a U.S. Secretary of State to Ramallah in three years, Condoleezza Rice is expected to unveil to Palestinian leaders on Monday her proposal for what appears to be American monitoring of a budding Israeli-Palestinian truce.

Meeting with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Rice is also expected to discuss President George W. Bush's pledge to boost aid for Palestinian security forces.

"If there can be a period of calm in which there is not fighting, the most important elements will be to have some monitoring of that situation," Rice said in an interview with CNN.

"We will discuss this with the Palestinians ," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters, noting Rice had outlined the plan to Sharon over dinner. He gave no details.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/536784.html