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Rice in Egypt talks on conference Rice in Egypt talks on conference
(about 5 hours later)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has held talks in Cairo with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has held talks in Cairo with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Her visit is part of efforts to win support for a US-sponsored Middle East conference set for November.Her visit is part of efforts to win support for a US-sponsored Middle East conference set for November.
On Monday Egypt's foreign minister suggested delaying the conference if there was no Israeli-Palestinian agreement on a conference document. Ms Rice said the conference could be a success if all parties met their obligations, both before and after the planned summit.
Ms Rice said yesterday that it was time for a Palestinian state to be founded, and that the US would press for this. Earlier she said that it was time for a Palestinian state to be founded, and that the US would press for this.
She held talks on Monday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah after which she said the US would encourage Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to work intensively on the joint document for the conference. "There is a lot of work leading up to the meeting, and there is going to be a lot of work after the meeting in order to achieve a Palestinian state and the two-state solution.
"But there are obligations on all sides, and the United States expects everyone to exercise them," she said.
Ms Rice said her talks in Cairo had been fruitful and that although no date had yet been agreed for the conference - set to be held in Annapolis, Maryland - her meetings were giving momentum to the peace process.
She said that it would have to be "a serious and substantive conference that will advance the cause of a Palestinian state".
On Monday the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abul Gheit, suggested delaying the conference if there were no Israeli-Palestinian agreement on a conference document.
"Rushing into holding the meeting without an agreement over a substantive and positive document may damage opportunities to achieve a just peace," he said.
Ms Rice held talks on Monday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah after which she said the US would encourage Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to work intensively on the joint document for the conference.
She said the US regarded a two-state solution "as absolutely essential for the future, not just of Palestinians and Israelis but also for the Middle East and indeed for American interests".She said the US regarded a two-state solution "as absolutely essential for the future, not just of Palestinians and Israelis but also for the Middle East and indeed for American interests".
Ms Rice said she wanted agreement on the peace conference, set to be held in Annapolis, Maryland - but that it would have to be "a serious and substantive conference that will advance the cause of a Palestinian state".
The Palestinians have warned that if no tightly-worded text is agreed on which to base talks, they will not attend. The Israelis say they do not believe an agreed text is necessary.The Palestinians have warned that if no tightly-worded text is agreed on which to base talks, they will not attend. The Israelis say they do not believe an agreed text is necessary.