This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7043664.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Rice pushes for Mid-East progress Rice warns Israel on peace talks
(about 4 hours later)
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. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has made a rare warning to Israel not to do anything that might erode confidence in the peace process.
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. At the start of her latest Middle East visit, Ms Rice told reporters Israel's revival of a West Bank road-building project could hamper negotiations.
She has warned she is not expecting any imminent breakthroughs. She met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday.
Palestinians want a list of specific differences to be on the table, while Israel wants a more general statement. Ms Rice is trying to pave the way for a US peace conference next month.
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. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have been trying to produce a joint document agreeing a framework for the November summit.
She will also visit Egypt, and later meet Jordan's King Abdullah in London. 'Breakthrough unlikely'
"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. Ms Rice, who also met Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday, told journalists her trip was unlikely to produce a breakthrough on the statement.
"I would just warn in advance not to expect that, because this is really a work in progress," she said, according to Reuters. 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 Condoleezza Rice
Also on Sunday, Mr Olmert appointed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as Israeli chief negotiator on the conference. Ms Livni has previously warned against moving too quickly towards an agreement. But the acting Palestinian foreign minister warned that without a framework jointly agreed with Israel setting out specific differences, they would not attend the conference.
Sensitive But Israel wants a more general statement and Mr Olmert's spokeswoman said the prime minister did not believe a joint document was a precondition for the summit.
Responding to a question about Israeli confiscation of Arab land last week, Ms Rice said the timing of the move had been too sensitive. Responding to a question about Israeli confiscation of Arab land last week, Ms Rice told reporters on the plane to Tel Aviv the timing of the move had been too sensitive.
"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. "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," Ms Rice said.
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. Israel insists the land was earmarked for a road-building project to help connect Palestinian communities.
But Palestinians claim it is designed to increase Israeli control over the West Bank.
Scepticism
Also on Sunday, Mr Olmert appointed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as Israeli chief negotiator on the conference.
Ms Livni has previously warned against moving too quickly towards an agreement.
Ms Rice will also visit Egypt, and later meet Jordan's King Abdullah in London on her latest round of shuttle diplomacy.
Palestinians and Israelis have said the peace talks must succeed
Correspondents say there is growing scepticism among Arab governments about next month's conference.
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.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.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.
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. Ms Rice arrived in the Middle East after visiting Moscow, where talks on US plans for a missile shield in Eastern Europe broke down after Russian President Vladimir Putin made clear his anger over the project.