Condoleezza Rice on Mediation Mission to Palestinian Territories Next Week

4 October 2007

Bethlehem – Ma'an – US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories next week to mediate between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the spokesperson of the US state department Shawn McCormick said on Wednesday.

"I expect intensive shuttling between the different sides," he said.

He said that Rice will endeavor to complete the formation of the joint Palestinian-Israeli document to be submitted to the US-sponsored autumn conference.

"Formation has really begun, yet the serious has not started," he said.

"The Saudis said that there has been encouraging progress, yet there should be more hard work," he added.