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Cheney meets Palestinian leaders | Cheney meets Palestinian leaders |
(about 1 hour later) | |
US Vice-President Dick Cheney has said peace between Israel and the Palestinians will require painful concessions on both sides. | |
He said the creation of a Palestinian state was long overdue, but rocket attacks against Israel hindered peace. | |
Mr Cheney was speaking after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah as part of a Middle-East tour. | |
He has already given Israel strong backing on security issues. | |
The visit is part of a bid to revive the peace process, but correspondents say people on both sides remain sceptical. | |
It came as rival Palestinian groups signed a Yemeni-brokered reconciliation deal promising to revive direct talks. | It came as rival Palestinian groups signed a Yemeni-brokered reconciliation deal promising to revive direct talks. |
Hamas and Fatah have been in conflict since the dissolution of a Hamas-led government and the militant group's seizure of control in the Gaza Strip. | Hamas and Fatah have been in conflict since the dissolution of a Hamas-led government and the militant group's seizure of control in the Gaza Strip. |
Difficult truth | |
In Ramallah, Mr Cheney met Mr Abbas and was due to hold a separate meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. | |
The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps to threaten its security Dick CheneyUS Vice-President | |
Mr Cheney said he looked forward to the day "that an independent, viable, democratic and peaceful Palestinian state comes into being". | |
"Achieving that vision will require tremendous effort at the negotiating table and painful concessions on both sides," he said. | |
"It will also require a determination to defeat those who are committed to violence and who refuse to accept the basic right of the other side to exist. | |
"A difficult but immutable truth must continue to be told: terror and rockets do not merely kill innocent civilians, they also kill legitimate hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people." | |
Security was tight for the visit, with police blocking streets within several kilometres of the government compound. | |
Earlier, he said Washington was committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state and that Palestinian leaders could be "certain of America's goodwill". | Earlier, he said Washington was committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state and that Palestinian leaders could be "certain of America's goodwill". |
Mr Cheney also reaffirmed US backing for Israel. | Mr Cheney also reaffirmed US backing for Israel. |
"America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakeable, as is our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself - always - against terrorism, rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," he said at a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday. | "America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakeable, as is our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself - always - against terrorism, rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," he said at a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday. |
"The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps to threaten its security." | "The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps to threaten its security." |
US President George W Bush has said he hopes for a peace deal before he leaves office in January. | US President George W Bush has said he hopes for a peace deal before he leaves office in January. |
But the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says Israelis and Palestinians are sceptical about the chances for peace. | But the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says Israelis and Palestinians are sceptical about the chances for peace. |
Opinion polls suggest that most people doubt that the current talks, given an extra push by the Americans at the end of last year, will lead to a deal any time soon. | Opinion polls suggest that most people doubt that the current talks, given an extra push by the Americans at the end of last year, will lead to a deal any time soon. |
Mr Cheney is on the latest leg of a tour that has included Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. | Mr Cheney is on the latest leg of a tour that has included Iraq, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. |
Mr Cheney will visit Turkey before returning to Washington. | Mr Cheney will visit Turkey before returning to Washington. |