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Rice returns to Middle East talks US vows 'serious' Mid-East talks
(about 5 hours later)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on her way to Jerusalem in another attempt to restart the stalled Middle East peace process. The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, has said "critical issues" would be tackled at a US-sponsored Middle East peace conference later this year.
Ms Rice is due to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Speaking en route to Israel on her sixth visit to the region this year, Ms Rice said the talks would help lay the foundations of a Palestinian state.
It is her sixth visit to the region this year and it will not be the last. Ms Rice is due to meet the Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert, and the Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas.
Ms Rice is stepping up US diplomatic efforts ahead of a major international peace conference in November. With US encouragement, the two recently held a series of face-to-face meetings.
With US encouragement, Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas have already held a series of face to face meetings to discuss the broad goal of creating a separate Palestinian state. After their last meeting on 10 September, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution and agreed to set up negotiating teams to discuss some of the issues in dispute.
Palestinian divide Political rift
The US is also giving financial assistance to build up the Palestinian Authority president's security forces. Before arriving in Israel on Wednesday morning, Ms Rice said she hoped her brief trip would "build on the momentum" of those meetings and encourage both sides to resolve their differences ahead of the conference expected to be held in November.
And it is backing Tony Blair's efforts to develop the Palestinian authorities, political institutions and economy. I think everybody expects [the conference] to address critical issues and we do not expect anything less Condoleezza Rice
But the political rift within the Palestinian territories has not been addressed. "This meeting has to, in a substantive way, support the activities and the efforts of the parties to lay the foundations for the negotiation of a Palestinian state as soon as possible," she told reporters on the plane.
The US is continuing to try to isolate Hamas while others believe it must be part of any political process. "I think everybody expects it to be serious and substantive. I think everybody expects it to address critical issues and we do not expect anything less."
And so far, Condoleezza Rice has not put forward any concrete proposals that would suggest the US has worked out a plan that would bring about a lasting peace. The US is also giving financial assistance to build up the Palestinian Authority's security forces and is backing Tony Blair's efforts to develop Palestinian political institutions and the economy.
The BBC's Washington correspondent, Jonathan Beale, says the US has failed to address the political rift within the Palestinian Territories. The US is continuing to try to isolate Hamas, while others believe it must be part of any political process.
Ms Rice has not put forward any concrete proposals that would suggest the US has worked out a plan that would bring about a lasting peace, our correspondent says.