US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's five-day shuttle diplomacy to rescue the shaky Middle East truce, and to reinforce a closer links with sub-Sahara Africa, concluded at the weekend without marked progress.

On a hasty mission to preserve the Middle East truce shaken by a recent escalation of violence, Rice held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, pressing both to safeguard Israel's planned Gaza pullout in August.

The chief US diplomat said Washington encourages co-ordination between both parties but indicated that more efforts need to be made: "Each side is expecting answers from the other."

Meanwhile, reports from Ramallah said the Palestinians welcome Sharon's moves but fear Israel will strengthen its hold on West Bank.

The Palestinians also complained that they had no answers from the Israeli side on basic issues such as border controls and freedom of movement in Gaza.

Analysts said the fact that Rice won no new commitments during the latest diplomacy might indicate that unpredictable obstacles and conflicts will definitely occur when Israel begins its unilateral pullout from Gaza and part of West Bank.

On Friday, Rice made a surprise visit to Lebanon to show Washington's support for the new government, the first to be formed since Syrian forces withdrew in April.

She urged the Lebanese Government to disarm the Hezbollah guerrilla group in accordance with the United Nations Resolution 1559.

Lebanon's new Prime Minister Fuad Saniora said Lebanon respects international legitimacy but argued there has to be dialogues and "serious discussion" among the Lebanese in order to reach consensus on the issue of disarming Hezbollah.

Hezbollah, labelled by Washington as a terror group, is represented in the Saniora's cabinet for the first time after the party won 14 seats in parliament in last month's elections.

Before heading for the Middle East, Rice also paid a two-day visit to Senegal and Sudan, her first African trip since she became the chief US diplomat in January, to show top-level commitment to a US preferential trade deal for the poorest continent.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), adopted by US Congress in May 2000, has provided opportunities for economic growth in Africa and benefits the United States, Rice said at the AGOA trade conference in Senegal.

She said the American and African continents, both having a history of slavery, have common points in history and are capable of joining hands to create a better future.

The 5-year-old AGOA allows duty-free exports for more than 6,400 African products to US markets.

Thirty-seven African countries have met strict eligibility requirements to participate, but far fewer have seen major increases in US trade so far.

Another 11 countries were rejected as they could not meet what is called the eligibility standards for economic and political reform, commitment to human rights or other measures.

Out of their grievance against the US project, representatives from the African countries urged the US to increase grants to Africa, reduce interest rates on loans provided to small- and medium-sized enterprises, and solve the issues of US agricultural subsides to ensure that African countries can gain due benefits from the program.

Sudan, Rice's second stop in Africa, just formed a new reconciliation government this month, following a peace agreement to end a 21-year civil war.

During her one-day visit, Rice expressed her hope that stability could be restored in Darfur following another peace agreement signed between the Sudanese Government and southern rebels.

Darfur, a vast but arid province in western Sudan, has been in the grip of civil war for more than two years.

There is every indication that following a long period of tension, US-Sudanese relations have improved recently with a joint committee being established to discuss ways of normalizing the relations.

The two countries are seriously considering raising diplomatic representation to ambassadorial level, said Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail.

Analysts believe that Washington is expecting to normalize relations with Khartoum as early as possible so that American oil giants could re-enter Sudan, said to be oil-rich only next to Saudi Arabia.

Rumours denied

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Sunday denied rumours that he had suffered a heart attack, following claims from his political enemies that he was in bad shape.

"Several minutes ago, a rumour reached my ears to the effect that I had suffered a heart attack. I want to show you that I am capable of speaking," he told ministers at his weekly cabinet meeting in comments relayed by his office.

"I understand that this is causing a storm and I want to either calm or disappoint everyone. As you see, my situation is fine. It is an unfounded rumour," he added.

Sharon, who turned 77 last February, underwent secret treatment in 2004 to remove a cancerous tumour on his face.

Rumours about his ill health have been bandied about by opponents of his plan to uproot all soldiers and settlers from the occupied Gaza Strip and four enclaves in the northern West Bank in an operation to begin next month.

Source: China Daily