Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Sunday rejected any temporary solution to the Middle East conflict, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continued a US push for regional peace with a stop-off in neighbouring Jordan.
Rice herself insisted that Abbas's comments should not be interpreted as a rejection of the phased approach of the internationally drafted peace roadmap.
She said that during their talks in the West Bank town of Ramallah he had told her of his continued support for the blueprint which has made next to no progress since its launch nearly four years ago.
After their meeting, Abbas spoke of his refusal of "any temporary or transitional solutions, including a state with temporary borders, because we do not believe it to be a realistic choice that can be built upon".
The Palestinian president stressed the need for "active and continuous mobilisation by the various regional and international parties... To achieve a durable and continuing peace... So that the region and the people enjoy peace and security."
But in an interview with Israel's privately run Channel 10 television Rice insisted it was not necessary to miss out any of the stages envisaged by the roadmap in order to have wide-ranging talks on the eventual shape of a final settlement.
{{/usCountry}}But in an interview with Israel's privately run Channel 10 television Rice insisted it was not necessary to miss out any of the stages envisaged by the roadmap in order to have wide-ranging talks on the eventual shape of a final settlement.
{{/usCountry}}"I don't think we need to skip any phases of the roadmap," she said according to a transcript of her comments.