Rice to visit the Mideast next month: Abbas (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Rice to visit the Mideast next month: Abbas

By Alaa Shahine
Reuters
Wednesday, December 27, 2006; 8:23 AM

CAIRO (Reuters) - The U.S. secretary of state will visit the Middle East next month,
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday, adding he would discuss
with her the idea of a "back channel" for negotiations with Israel.

Condoleezza Rice last visited the region in late November and held talks with Abbas
and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The U.S. administration has since welcomed
Abbas's calls for early Palestinian polls and Rice said it also planned to ask Congress
for funds to support his security forces.

-snip-

He said he had a plan to form a "back channel" of negotiations with the Israelis about
final status issues and would float the idea again during Rice's visit.

-snip-

Abbas and Egypt, a key regional mediator, have proposed moving into final status
issues and bypass the U.S.-sponsored "road map" for the Middle East, which has failed
to achieve progress because of violence and the West's refusal to work with the
governing Hamas group.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/27/AR2006122700675.html