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| Rice in Mid-East diplomacy talks | Rice in Mid-East diplomacy talks |
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| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on her way to the Middle East on her first regional visit since the creation of a Palestinian unity government. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on her way to the Middle East on her first regional visit since the creation of a Palestinian unity government. |
| It is her seventh trip to the region in the space of eight months. | It is her seventh trip to the region in the space of eight months. |
| Ms Rice is expected to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas but will first meet Arab leaders in Egypt. | Ms Rice is expected to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas but will first meet Arab leaders in Egypt. |
| Correspondents say she is trying to focus minds on efforts to create a Palestinian state. | Correspondents say she is trying to focus minds on efforts to create a Palestinian state. |
| In Egypt's city of Aswan, Ms Rice will meet leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - the so-called Arab Quartet of moderate US allies - officials said. | In Egypt's city of Aswan, Ms Rice will meet leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - the so-called Arab Quartet of moderate US allies - officials said. |
| You need the energy and the help of moving forward on the Arab-Israel side, not at the end of the process, but earlier on in the process Condoleezza Rice | You need the energy and the help of moving forward on the Arab-Israel side, not at the end of the process, but earlier on in the process Condoleezza Rice |
| She will then hold talks with Mr Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah and Israel's Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem before flying to Jordan for a meeting with King Abdullah II. | She will then hold talks with Mr Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah and Israel's Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem before flying to Jordan for a meeting with King Abdullah II. |
| In order to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "you need the energy and the help of moving forward on the Arab-Israel side... earlier on in the process," Ms Rice said as she left Washington. | In order to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "you need the energy and the help of moving forward on the Arab-Israel side... earlier on in the process," Ms Rice said as she left Washington. |
| Condoleezza Rice's shuttle diplomacy comes as the outgoing US ambassador in Baghdad warned that events in Iraq could be a danger to the entire region. | Condoleezza Rice's shuttle diplomacy comes as the outgoing US ambassador in Baghdad warned that events in Iraq could be a danger to the entire region. |
| Zalmay Khalilzad said a sectarian divide was developing across the Middle East because of the bloodshed between Sunni and Shia Arabs in Iraq. | Zalmay Khalilzad said a sectarian divide was developing across the Middle East because of the bloodshed between Sunni and Shia Arabs in Iraq. |
| Urgency | Urgency |
| The BBC's Jonathan Beale, who is travelling with the secretary of state, says there is a new sense of urgency in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not least because Arab neighbours say it is essential to bringing about stability. | The BBC's Jonathan Beale, who is travelling with the secretary of state, says there is a new sense of urgency in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not least because Arab neighbours say it is essential to bringing about stability. |
| Washington has not recognised the Palestinian unity government sworn in last Saturday. | Washington has not recognised the Palestinian unity government sworn in last Saturday. |
| It refuses to deal with those ministers who are members of the Islamic group Hamas, which regards as a terrorist group. | It refuses to deal with those ministers who are members of the Islamic group Hamas, which regards as a terrorist group. |
| However Ms Rice and her officials are continuing to talk to Mr Abbas and other moderates. | However Ms Rice and her officials are continuing to talk to Mr Abbas and other moderates. |
| The unity government was formed after Hamas - which has dominated the Palestinian cabinet since elections in January 2006 - agreed to share power with Mr Abbas's moderate Fatah faction. | The unity government was formed after Hamas - which has dominated the Palestinian cabinet since elections in January 2006 - agreed to share power with Mr Abbas's moderate Fatah faction. |
| The deal followed several months of fighting between the two groups, which left more than 140 people dead. | The deal followed several months of fighting between the two groups, which left more than 140 people dead. |
| Last month, Ms Rice held her first joint meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Jerusalem. | Last month, Ms Rice held her first joint meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Jerusalem. |
| She reported no tangible progress at the summit, but said the leaders had agreed to meet again soon. |