Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Photo: Dudi Vaknin
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
Rice: US will not dominate peace talks
Secretary of State says Washington is not interested in dominating peace talks between Israel and Palestinians, but rather wants to encourage both sides to overcome their differences
The United States will not "dominate" peace talks between Israel
and the Palestinians, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday after talks with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
"I don't intend by any means to take control of the Israeli-Palestinian bilateral dialogue," said Rice. "I think it is very important."
Rice added that Washington has been encouraging Israel and the Palestinians to open peace negotiations and her job was to "help" both sides to reach a permanent peace deal by suggesting solutions to some of the thorniest issues that stand in the way of a breakthrough in talks.
Rice said that she had agreed with Egyptian leaders that the Arab peace initiative was a common ground for reviving the peace process.
Rice, on a shuttle peace mission in the region, met Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday.
She was expected to announce a new diplomatic initiative aimed at jumpstarting the peace process but aides said the announcement has been postponed till tomorrow as Rice sought to meet Olmert for a second time in three days.
The centerpiece of the new peace plan was said to be the endorsement of a viable Palestinian state that lives side by side in peace next to Israel.
The visit comes at time when Arab Foreign Ministers meet in Riyadh to prepare for an Arab League summit in the Saudi capital.
The Arab League is expected to renew a Saudi peace initiative offered to Israel in 2002 amid reports that the Saudis will heed US calls to amend some of the clauses that are strongly opposed by the Jewish State.
Olmert said that the initiative was a possible framework to revive the peace process but warned that Israel would not negotiate unless the Arabs dropped the right of return for Palestinian refugees.
