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| Bush optimistic of Mid-East peace | Bush optimistic of Mid-East peace |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US President George W Bush has said he is still optimistic there will be a Middle East peace deal before he leaves office despite stalled negotiations. | US President George W Bush has said he is still optimistic there will be a Middle East peace deal before he leaves office despite stalled negotiations. |
| Mr Bush said there was "plenty of time to get a deal done" in the remaining 10 months of his presidency. | Mr Bush said there was "plenty of time to get a deal done" in the remaining 10 months of his presidency. |
| Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas broke off contacts with Israel at the weekend after its recent military offensive in Gaza killed more than 120 Palestinians. | Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas broke off contacts with Israel at the weekend after its recent military offensive in Gaza killed more than 120 Palestinians. |
| Earlier, Mr Abbas said a ceasefire was | |
| needed before the talks could progress. | |
| Speaking after holding talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Ramallah, he urged Israel to "halt its aggression so the necessary environment can be created". | Speaking after holding talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Ramallah, he urged Israel to "halt its aggression so the necessary environment can be created". |
| Ms Rice said she had been concerned about the recent violence, but urged the Palestinian Authority to resume talks with the Israeli government as soon as possible. | Ms Rice said she had been concerned about the recent violence, but urged the Palestinian Authority to resume talks with the Israeli government as soon as possible. |
| The two sides have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal since the US-sponsored conference at Annapolis late last year, which set out the aim to establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel by the end of 2008. | The two sides have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal since the US-sponsored conference at Annapolis late last year, which set out the aim to establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel by the end of 2008. |
| `Long time' | |
| Speaking after meeting Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House, Mr Bush said he was "optimistic that they can conclude tough negotiations". | Speaking after meeting Jordan's King Abdullah at the White House, Mr Bush said he was "optimistic that they can conclude tough negotiations". |
| This is a process that always two steps forward and one step back - we just need to make sure that it's just one step back US President George W BushPalestinian Authority President An asymmetric fightIn pictures: Gaza aftermath | |
| "I'm still as optimistic as I was after Annapolis," he told reporters. "Ten months is a long time. It's plenty of time to get a deal done." | "I'm still as optimistic as I was after Annapolis," he told reporters. "Ten months is a long time. It's plenty of time to get a deal done." |
| "This is a process that always two steps forward and one step back. We just need to make sure that it's just one step back." | "This is a process that always two steps forward and one step back. We just need to make sure that it's just one step back." |
| The president's comments came after his secretary of state held talks in the West Bank in an effort to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. | The president's comments came after his secretary of state held talks in the West Bank in an effort to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. |
| Ms Rice also insisted she was confident peace was still achievable this year. | Ms Rice also insisted she was confident peace was still achievable this year. |
| Her optimism was not shared by Mr Abbas, however, who said progress could only be made if a comprehensive ceasefire was agreed, a suggestion he has made before but which has been rejected by the Israeli government. | Her optimism was not shared by Mr Abbas, however, who said progress could only be made if a comprehensive ceasefire was agreed, a suggestion he has made before but which has been rejected by the Israeli government. |
| "I call on the Israeli government to halt its aggression so the necessary environment can be created to make negotiations succeed, for us and for them, to reach the shores of peace in 2008," he said. | "I call on the Israeli government to halt its aggression so the necessary environment can be created to make negotiations succeed, for us and for them, to reach the shores of peace in 2008," he said. |
| Mr Abbas said no-one could justify the killings of dozens of civilians, including more than 20 children, in the Gaza Strip during Israel's recent five-day offensive, which was launched in an attempt to suppress rocket fire by militants there. | Mr Abbas said no-one could justify the killings of dozens of civilians, including more than 20 children, in the Gaza Strip during Israel's recent five-day offensive, which was launched in an attempt to suppress rocket fire by militants there. |
| "It has always been our conviction that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be achieved through violence or counter-violence, but through negotiations with terms of reference and international support," he added. | "It has always been our conviction that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict cannot be achieved through violence or counter-violence, but through negotiations with terms of reference and international support," he added. |