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Rice heads for new Mid-East talks Rice in Mid-East for fresh talks
(about 4 hours later)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in the Middle East in the latest attempt to push for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in the Middle East for the latest American attempt to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.
Ms Rice will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.Ms Rice will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
No big announcements are expected during the visit, says the BBC's state department correspondent Kim Ghattas. Israeli roadblocks, incursions in the Palestinian territories and settlement growth will be on the agenda.
But it will set the stage for President George W Bush's trips to the region next month, our correspondent says. The visit will lay the ground for President George W Bush's trip to the region next month.
The US administration is hoping it can bring about a deal between the Palestinians and the Israelis, but with nine months to go before Mr Bush's term ends, time is running out.The US administration is hoping it can bring about a deal between the Palestinians and the Israelis, but with nine months to go before Mr Bush's term ends, time is running out.
Bolstering Abbas
Ms Rice arrived in Israel on Saturday and dined with Mr Olmert in Jerusalem. On Sunday she will travel to the West Bank town of Ramallah to meet Mr Abbas.
Ms Rice will also host two trilateral meetings between senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, including joint talks with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
The secretary of state says the meetings will be "very useful" in helping to identify areas of convergence between the two sides. But no big announcements are expected, BBC state department correspondent Kim Ghattas says.
Ms Rice said not all road blocks were of equal value
During her visit, Ms Rice is expected to urge Israel to take new steps to bolster Mr Abbas's authority in the West Bank.
This would include easing travel restrictions to strengthen the local economy.
Speaking to journalists on the flight from London, Ms Rice said talks would address the issue of Israeli roadblocks.
"The first thing we are going to do is to review the ones that were supposedly moved," she said.
Talks are also expected to address the extent to which the Palestinians have honoured their commitments, including cracking down on militants launching attacks against Israel.
Several hundred members of the Palestinian security forces took up positions in the West Bank town of Jenin on Saturday as part of a security plan backed by the Americans and approved by Israel.
Hundreds of Palestinian security forces have already been deployed under the plan in the town of Nablus.
'Little progress''Little progress'
Ms Rice arrived in Israel on Saturday and will dine with Mr Olmert in Jerusalem. But Mr Abbas's government has complained that continued Israeli raids against militants in the West Bank undermine the efforts of the Palestinian forces.
On Sunday she will travel to the West Bank town of Ramallah to meet Mr Abbas. "Everybody is looking to the Palestinians to take responsibility for security. And there have to be very insistent efforts to make sure that they are not being undermined," Ms Rice told reporters
During her visit, Ms Rice will also host two trilateral meetings between senior Israeli and Palestinian officials, including joint talks with Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. While there's no talk of direct pressure on Israel over settlement activity, this issue will also be raised, our correspondent says.
The secretary of state has described these meetings as "very useful" in helping to identify areas of convergence between the two sides.
Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas are also set to hold a bilateral meeting in Jerusalem on Monday after Ms Rice's departure, according to Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas are also set to hold a bilateral meeting in Jerusalem on Monday after Ms Rice's departure, according to Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
But after months of talks there is little evidence of progress as the economic situation of Palestinians, especially in Gaza, deteriorates, our correspondent says.But after months of talks there is little evidence of progress as the economic situation of Palestinians, especially in Gaza, deteriorates, our correspondent says.
At a Middle East Quartet meeting of the EU, UN, Russia and US on Friday, Ms Rice urged international donors and Arab countries in particular, to live up to their pledges to the Palestinians.At a Middle East Quartet meeting of the EU, UN, Russia and US on Friday, Ms Rice urged international donors and Arab countries in particular, to live up to their pledges to the Palestinians.
The Quartet also called on Israelis to freeze all settlement activities and urged the Palestinians to curb militant attacks, saying both sides should refrain from any actions that undermined peace talks.The Quartet also called on Israelis to freeze all settlement activities and urged the Palestinians to curb militant attacks, saying both sides should refrain from any actions that undermined peace talks.