US Secretary of State to visit West Asia

Washington, Mar 15 (UNI) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will undertake another trip to West Asia next week in an effort to encourage Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.

Ms Rice made this announcement after discussions with visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni last night. Later, they addressed a joint press conference.

During her visit, she is expected to meet senior leaders of the two countries and moderate Arab leaders to help pave the way for the resumption of the regional peace process.

Asked about the Saudi West Asia peace plan, Ms Rice said the plan by the then-Crown Prince Abdullah - now the Saudi king - was a commendable initiative but not basis for negotiations.

''The Arab initiative is not a negotiating document. It is a document that sets forward a position. And as I said I think very favourably about the idea the Arab League - starting as the Crown Prince initiative - would as a whole set forward a position on which perhaps reconciliation could take place between Israel and the Arab states. But obviously it is not a negotiating position, and I'm sure that Israel would have its own views of how that reconciliation could take place,'' Ms Rice said.

Israeli Minister Livni, however, said the Saudi initiative as initially published was very positive, given that it was predicated on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

But she said as later adopted by the Arab league in Beirut, it contained language on refugees that would threaten Israel's existence as a Jewish state.

UNI