WEST BANK: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

Record ID: 560884

  • Title: WEST BANK: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
  • Date: 15th October 2007
  • Summary: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE SITTING WITH PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS CLOSEUP ABBAS/WIDE OF MEETING U.S. DELEGATE, PAN TO RICE SHAKING HANDS WITH ABBAS WIDE OF MEETING
  • Embargoed: 30th October 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA3DAGS9Y2QD880CLO4UJGDERCF
  • Story Text: Condoleezza Rice met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday (October 15), as the U.S. Secretary of State continued a visit to regional leaders as she prepares for November's expected Middle East conference in Washington.
    Rice came to the region on Sunday (October 14) for four days of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to prepare for an international meeting the United States plans to host this year which it hopes will lead to formal peace negotiations and, eventually, the creation of a Palestinian state.
    Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams have been formed to draft a joint document addressing "core issues" for the gathering, expected to be held late next month in Annapolis, Maryland.
    On Sunday Rice held separate, roughly two-hour meetings in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak, and then had dinner with Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad to gauge each side's views.
    Statements from both sides suggested major gaps remained.
    Olmert has sought to address in general terms the most divisive aspects of the Middle East conflict -- borders of a Palestinian state, the future of the holy city of Jerusalem, and the fate of millions of Palestinian refugees.
    Abbas has been pressing for a document with a timetable for dealing with those issues and moving Palestinians closer to statehood.
    Rice is expected to visit Egypt on Tuesday (October 16) and to meet in London with Jordan's King Abdullah on Thursday (October 18).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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