U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni here Monday, urging both Israel and Palestinian authorities to honor their obligations under the 2003 roadmap for peace.
"U.S. policy on this is well known. We have said that it's important to do everything possible to make the atmosphere for Annapolis as good as possible," Rice told reporters.
"And we consider -- and as I know the Israeli government does as does the Palestinian leadership -- the fulfillment of the roadmap obligations as part of the Annapolis process," Rice said.
Rice visited Israel and the Palestinian territories late last week to promote peace talks launched in Annapolis, Maryland last November.
The road map, which was work out in 2003 by the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union, calls for founding a Palestinian state living in peace with Israel.
"It's essential that we keep focused on, is moving forward the political process as well as moving forward that road map implementation process," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
Israel and the Palestinians officially revived their peace talks in late November at a U.S. conference under Washington's stewardship after a seven-year freeze.
But the talks have repeatedly stalled over disagreements on the most divisive issues and escalating violence in the region.
Source:Xinhua
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