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| Cheney urges Mid-East concessions | |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| US Vice-President Dick Cheney has said peace between Israel and the Palestinians will require painful concessions on both sides. | 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. | 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. | 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. | He has already given Israel strong backing on security issues. |
| The visit was 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 - possibly next month. | |
| Correspondents say it is the first real sign of progress since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah last June. | |
| Fatah wants Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza. | |
| A leading Hamas official, Dr Moussa Abu Marzouk, told the BBC the aim of the dialogue was to restore all the Palestinian territories to a single control. But, he said, Hamas would retain control of Gaza until agreement was reached. | |
| Difficult truth | Difficult truth |
| In Ramallah, Mr Cheney met Mr Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. | In Ramallah, Mr Cheney met Mr Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. |
| The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps to threaten its security Dick CheneyUS Vice-President | 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". | 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. | "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. | "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." | "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. | Security was tight for the visit, with police blocking streets within several kilometres of the government compound. |
| Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Mr Cheney's comments were "provocative and completely biased in favour of the Israeli occupation". | Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Mr Cheney's comments were "provocative and completely biased in favour of the Israeli occupation". |
| Earlier, Mr Cheney had reaffirmed US backing for Israel. | Earlier, Mr Cheney had 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. |