This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6258027.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Rice begins Mid-East peace push | Rice begins Mid-East peace push |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Israel as she begins a renewed effort to revive stalled negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Israel as she begins a renewed effort to revive stalled negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. |
| She is due to meet both sides but has admitted that she will not be presenting any concrete new proposals. | She is due to meet both sides but has admitted that she will not be presenting any concrete new proposals. |
| Ms Rice will also visit Arab capitals to rally support for President Bush's new strategy in Iraq. | Ms Rice will also visit Arab capitals to rally support for President Bush's new strategy in Iraq. |
| She has denied that the US intends to escalate the war in Iraq by confronting Iranian groups operating there. | She has denied that the US intends to escalate the war in Iraq by confronting Iranian groups operating there. |
| Ms Rice is set to hold talks with Israeli ministers later on Saturday and will see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday, before wrapping up this stage of her tour with talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday. | Ms Rice is set to hold talks with Israeli ministers later on Saturday and will see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday, before wrapping up this stage of her tour with talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday. |
| No plan | No plan |
| She has said she expects intensive consultations but has played down any hopes of a major breakthrough and stressed that she had not come to the region with a plan to end the conflict. | She has said she expects intensive consultations but has played down any hopes of a major breakthrough and stressed that she had not come to the region with a plan to end the conflict. |
| "I think anything that is an American plan is bound to fail," she said. | "I think anything that is an American plan is bound to fail," she said. |
| "The United States is not going to succeed in this alone. This has to have an Arab voice - Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia. | "The United States is not going to succeed in this alone. This has to have an Arab voice - Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia. |
| MID-EAST CONFLICT Palestinian unity call Rivals: Hamas and Fatah href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6259061.stm" class="">Mid-East awaits Rice answers | |
| "It certainly has to have the voice of the reasonable factions among the Palestinians, like Abu Mazen [Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas]. And it has to have an Israeli voice." | "It certainly has to have the voice of the reasonable factions among the Palestinians, like Abu Mazen [Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas]. And it has to have an Israeli voice." |
| The US is hoping to shore up Mr Abbas whose Fatah faction has been locked in a power struggle with the governing Hamas movement. | The US is hoping to shore up Mr Abbas whose Fatah faction has been locked in a power struggle with the governing Hamas movement. |
| Washington is planning to provide $85m to help train and equip Mr Abbas's presidential guard. | Washington is planning to provide $85m to help train and equip Mr Abbas's presidential guard. |
| Tensions between Fatah and Hamas appeared to have eased somewhat, with both Mr Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas urging national unity after weeks of feuding. | Tensions between Fatah and Hamas appeared to have eased somewhat, with both Mr Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas urging national unity after weeks of feuding. |
| Hamas, which refuses to recognise Israel or renounce violence, is regarded by Israel and the West as a terrorist group. | Hamas, which refuses to recognise Israel or renounce violence, is regarded by Israel and the West as a terrorist group. |
| A Hamas statement on Saturday said Ms Rice's trip would "only contribute to creating divisions and dissension in the region" and Mr Haniya accused Israel and America of seeking to foment a Palestinian civil war. | A Hamas statement on Saturday said Ms Rice's trip would "only contribute to creating divisions and dissension in the region" and Mr Haniya accused Israel and America of seeking to foment a Palestinian civil war. |
| As well as Israel and the Palestinian territories, Ms Rice's week-long tour will take in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. | As well as Israel and the Palestinian territories, Ms Rice's week-long tour will take in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. |
| Ms Rice has said Arab leaders have every incentive to help as a stable Iraq is also in their interests. | Ms Rice has said Arab leaders have every incentive to help as a stable Iraq is also in their interests. |
| The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says these countries would agree but they also question the logic of sending more US troops to Iraq. | The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says these countries would agree but they also question the logic of sending more US troops to Iraq. |
| Arab countries are also saying that if the US wants their help in Iraq, it must engage more in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, our correspondent adds. | Arab countries are also saying that if the US wants their help in Iraq, it must engage more in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, our correspondent adds. |
| 'Good policy' | 'Good policy' |
| President Bush on Wednesday announced that 21,500 extra troops would be sent in an effort to reduce violence across Iraq, especially in Baghdad. | President Bush on Wednesday announced that 21,500 extra troops would be sent in an effort to reduce violence across Iraq, especially in Baghdad. |
| The plan has been condemned by Democrats and some Republics as a dangerous escalation. | The plan has been condemned by Democrats and some Republics as a dangerous escalation. |
| But Ms Rice, speaking ahead of her visit, backed a pledge by President Bush to run search and destroy missions against groups suspected of building bombs for use within Iraq. | But Ms Rice, speaking ahead of her visit, backed a pledge by President Bush to run search and destroy missions against groups suspected of building bombs for use within Iraq. |
| She insisted that the US was not going to let either Iran or Syria continue activities that endangered American soldiers in Iraq. | She insisted that the US was not going to let either Iran or Syria continue activities that endangered American soldiers in Iraq. |
| "I don't think there is a government in the world that would sit by and let the Iranians in particular run networks inside Iraq that are building explosive devices of a very high quality that are being used to kill their soldiers. | "I don't think there is a government in the world that would sit by and let the Iranians in particular run networks inside Iraq that are building explosive devices of a very high quality that are being used to kill their soldiers. |
| "That's not an escalation, that's just good policy," Ms Rice told the BBC. | "That's not an escalation, that's just good policy," Ms Rice told the BBC. |
| Earlier this week the US raided the Iranian consulate in Irbil, northern Iraq, detaining five people. | Earlier this week the US raided the Iranian consulate in Irbil, northern Iraq, detaining five people. |
| Last year an influential report led by former Secretary of State James Baker urged the Bush administration to begin negotiations with Iran and Syria in a bid to find a solution in Iraq. | Last year an influential report led by former Secretary of State James Baker urged the Bush administration to begin negotiations with Iran and Syria in a bid to find a solution in Iraq. |