US Secretary of State visits Mideast

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Source: CCTV.com | 03-31-2008 14:51

Coincidental to the Damascus declaration. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on the three-day trip to the Middle East.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice(C) has held talks in a three-way summit with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad(L) and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. (CCTV.com)

She is focusing on the region's most enduring conflict -- between Palestinians and Israelis.

Rice has held talks in a three-way summit with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Meanwhile, amid a background of continuing violence in the region, Hamas has denounced Rice's visit.

The three-way meeting aimed at improving the lives of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Rice said it was a good meeting.

Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, said, "We are discussing the situation on the ground and the importance of improvement in that situation along the alliance of one of the Annapolis tracks."

Barak said last week he had agreed to the transfer of new vehicles and equipment to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's security forces, and to the easing of travel restrictions for West Bank businesses.

But, citing fear of militant infiltration, Barak said he would continue to resist Palestinian and Western demands for mass removals of checkpoints and roadblocks.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, a Hamas official said Rice's visit is bringing more harm than assistance to the battle-torn region.

Haymen Taha, Hamas Official, said, "This visit is not welcomed, Condoleezza Rice or anyone from the American regime brings tragedy and earthquakes to the Palestinians. Condoleezza Rice came to ease life in the West Bank by creating separation between Palestinians, by closing Gaza and opening West Bank,"

In northern Gaza, Palestinian mourners marched in a funeral procession on Sunday for one of the two militants killed by Israeli forces over night.

Late on Saturday, an Israeli air strike killed two gunman who tried to plant a bomb on the Gaza Strip's northern border fence.

Rice also held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah in Amman and met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Jordanian capital on Sunday.

The US Secretary of State's visits comes four months after Israel and the Palestinians launched peace talks with the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of this year.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei