Friday, August 03, 2007

RICE TO TALK ISSUES

Rice: Israel set to talk issues with Palestinians
The secretary of state, who met with the moderate-led Palestinian government in the West Bank, left the agenda of any talks vague.
By Anne Gearan
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 08/03/2007 01:12:43 AM MDT


Ramallah, West Bank - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday that Israel is ready to discuss fundamental issues with Palestinians who are now governed by leaders accepted by the Jewish state and the West. Still, she left the agenda for any peace talks vague. The top U.S. diplomat, making her first visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank since Palestinian leadership was cleaved into rival governments, also promised that a proposed U.S.-sponsored Mideast conference this fall would be a serious push toward a peace agreement. The president of the United States has no desire to call people together for a photo op, Rice told reporters during a morning of meetings meant to demonstrate confidence in the moderate-led Palestinian government in the West Bank. Hamas militants control the smaller Gaza Strip territory.

The visit included a signing ceremony for a U.S. plan to spend about $80 million to improve security services loyal to the West Bank government. The money was pledged previously and is a small donation compared with European spending on the impoverished Palestinians. The Bush administration sees the Palestinians' bitter internal split as a potential opportunity to push for a political settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, using the West Bank as a model. Hamas, an Islamic movement pledged to the destruction of Israel, won elections in January 2006. The U.S and Israel list Hamas as a terrorist group and refuse to deal with it. Rice met earlier with the entire Palestinian Cabinet, a gesture of support for the team that replaced the Hamas government after the militants seized Gaza.