Rice pushes Middle East negotiation
Condoleezza Rice with Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni
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Thursday, 02, Aug 2007 02:23
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to tackle problems likely to threaten the two-state solution.
Ms Rice is visiting the Middle East for the first time since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip, prompting their isolation and the subsequent resumption of ties with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah.
In a joint press conference with Mr Abbas, she called on the pair to address contentious issues like sovereignty over Jerusalem and borders.
"There should be a deepening of the dialogue between the Palestinians and the Israelis on all of the issues that will lead ultimately to the founding of a Palestinian state," the Reuters news agency quoted her as saying.
Mr Abbas said for the first time he was prepared to enter into negotiations with Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert about a "declaration of principles" on such fundamental matters.
US president George Bush said in a speech on July 16th that he would be seeking to rejuvenate the road map, calling for an international peace conference due to take place this autumn.
He said the Quartet of negotiators - the US, the EU, the UN and Russia - would boost financial aid to Mr Abbas' government, strengthen its political and diplomatic commitment and help build the institutions of a Palestinian state through the work of former British prime minister Tony Blair.
Today Ms Rice announced $80 million (£39.35 million) of funding for the reform of the security services. It was a struggle for control of this organisation which prompted the recent fighting between Hamas and Fatah.