Rice concludes her Mideast tour

Source: Xinhua | 03-06-2008 07:53

JERUSALEM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wrapped up a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank Wednesday by receiving promises to resume Israel-PNA peace negotiations suspended after IDF offensive in Gaza.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (R) talks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the Presidential Palace in Cairo March 4, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

At a joint press conference Wednesday with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Rice said that she had obtained assurances from both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to resume peace negotiations without any preconditions.

"I've been informed by the parties that they intend to the resume the negotiations and that they are in contact with one another as to how to bring this about," Rice said.

Rice kicked off a new Middle East visit on Tuesday in a bid to help revive the Palestinian-Israeli talks following a five-day incursion of Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip.

Following her tour to Egypt, Rice visited Israel and the West Bank by meeting with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

Speaking at a news conference after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday, Rice urged Israel and the Palestinians to resume suspended peace negotiations and said she believed a deal was still possible by the end of the year, but gave no indication that she had secured Abbas' agreement to return to talks.

Earlier on Wednesday, Abbas had said that peace talks could not resume until Israel agrees to a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

"The negotiations must be started, but after the truce," Abbas was quoted by local media as saying. "Once the truce is achieved the road will be open for negotiations."