09 June 2008

Rice to Meet with Israeli, Palestinian Negotiators

Trip designed to assess progress in peace talks

Secretary Rice speaks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a recent trip to the region.

By Merle D. Kellerhals Jr.
Staff Writer

Washington -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is returning to Jerusalem and Ramallah to meet with the chief Palestinian and Israeli negotiators and assess progress in sensitive Middle East peace talks.

Rice, who visits Israel and the occupied West Bank June 15, will meet with former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie, the chief Palestinian negotiator, and his counterpart, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack in a June 6 statement.

"It is to review the negotiations in all its aspects," Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said in a recent news interview.

McCormack said the meetings will focus on both parties' obligations under the Middle East peace road map; the situation in the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of Hamas; and the effort under way to achieve an agreement by year's end that would lead to establishment of a Palestinian state.

President Bush launched an intensive diplomatic effort in late 2007 with the Annapolis Conference on the Middle East to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  He followed that up with a trip to the region in January and then Rice completed a five-day trip to Britain, Israel and the West Bank in early May.  The president returned to the region in mid-May to encourage progress in the often sensitive negotiations.

Rice said after her trip in May that the Israelis and Palestinians have the same clear goal, which is to reach an agreement by the end of the year that will resolve the core issues.  Core issues include defining the final borders of the Palestinian state, the future of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian refugees, water rights and future relations between the two states.

In addition to the Middle East trip, Rice will attend the International Conference in Support of Afghanistan beginning June 12 in Paris.

"The secretary will underline the need for strong support from the international community to meet the development challenges necessary to promote security and democracy in Afghanistan," McCormack said.  Rice will accompany Bush, who will attend the conference.