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Rice to press Mid-East conference Rice pushes for Mid-East progress
(about 8 hours later)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is returning to the Middle East to move ahead preparations for an international conference on Palestinian statehood. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Israel to press for progress on a major international conference on the creation of a future Palestinian state.
Ms Rice will meet Palestinian and Israeli leaders to agree a framework for the summit, which is expected to take place in the US in late November. Ms Rice will meet Palestinian and Israeli leaders to agree a framework for the meeting, which is expected to take place in the US in late November.
During her visit last month, she urged both sides to draft a document laying the basis for serious negotiations. She has warned she is not expecting any imminent breakthroughs.
Ms Rice is fresh from difficult talks in Russia on missile defence. Palestinians want a list of specific differences to be on the table, while Israel wants a more general statement.
She arrives in the Middle East on Sunday to hold discussions with Israeli PM Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, before travelling to the West Bank to see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Ms Rice is to hold discussions with Israeli PM Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, before travelling to the West Bank to see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
'Growing scepticism' She will also visit Egypt, and later meet Jordan's King Abdullah in London.
Her five-day tour will also involve meetings in Egypt and Jordan. "I don't expect ... that there will be any particular outcome in the sense of breakthroughs on the document," Ms Rice told reporters travelling with her from Moscow to Tel Aviv.
Correspondents say there is growing scepticism among Arab governments on whether next month's conference will tackle what they see as the core issues in the conflict with Israel. "I would just warn in advance not to expect that, because this is really a work in progress," she said, according to Reuters.
Washington hopes for wide Arab participation but Syria has already said it is unlikely to attend unless its concerns over the Golan Heights are on the agenda. Sensitive
Palestinians and Israelis have said the peace talks must succeed Responding to a question about Israeli confiscation of Arab land last week, Ms Rice said the timing of the move had been too sensitive.
Invites for the gathering - scheduled to take place in Annapolis, Maryland - have not been sent out yet because so much remains to be finalised. "The point that I will be making is that we have to be very careful as we are trying to move toward the establishment of a Palestinian state about actions and statements that erode confidence in the parties' commitment to a two-state solution," Ms Rice said, according to AFP.
Palestinians and Israelis have said the peace talks must succeedCorrespondents say there is growing scepticism among Arab governments on whether next month's conference will tackle what they see as the core issues in the conflict with Israel.
Washington hopes for wide Arab participation. But Syria has already said it is unlikely to attend unless its concerns over the Golan Heights are on the agenda.
Invitations for the gathering - scheduled to take place in Annapolis, Maryland - have not been sent out yet because so much remains to be finalised.
Analysts say key bones of contention will include the shape of final borders, sovereignty over Jerusalem and a solution for Palestinians who lost their homes in the war that followed Israel's creation in 1948.Analysts say key bones of contention will include the shape of final borders, sovereignty over Jerusalem and a solution for Palestinians who lost their homes in the war that followed Israel's creation in 1948.
The US secretary of state will hope her Middle East tour is rewarded with more success than her visit to Moscow on Friday and Saturday. Ms Rice is arriving in the Middle East after visiting Moscow, where talks on US plans for a missile shield in Eastern Europe broke down in acrimony after Russian President Vladimir Putin made clear his anger over the project.
Talks on US plans for a missile shield in Eastern Europe broke down in acrimony after Russian President Vladimir Putin made clear his anger over the project.