Mid-East peace talks at White House

Condoleezza Rice today announced a top-level Middle East peace summit at the White House.

The US secretary of state said that Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and new Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas would attend the talks in the spring. Ms Rice added: "This is a moment for hope."

Ms Rice was speaking in the West Bank town of Ramallah after talks with both Palestinian and Israeli leaders to promote the stalled peace process.

She said President Bush had invited Mr Sharon and Mr

Abbas and both had accepted. The announcement came as Ms Rice promised £21 million in aid for Palestinians and US monitors to support peace efforts in the Middle East.

She told a joint news conference with Mr Abbas that she was appointing a US general to act as security co-ordinator between Israel and the Palestinians.

Ms Rice said Lieutenant-General William Ward was being given the sensitive post. General-Ward was previously commander of the Nato " stabilisation force" in post-war Bosnia.

She praised Mr Abbas for restoring law and order in Palestinian areas, adding: "We (the US) will be very active."

Today's meeting comes a month after the moderate Mr Abbas's election to succeed Yasser Arafat.

It was the highest-level such meting between the sides in more than four years.

Ms Rice praised Mr Abbas, saying he was "following through on a mandate" to restore law and order in the Palestinian areas. She said the United States would support Mr Abbas and be actively involved in peace efforts.

Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas are to have their first summit tomorrow hosted by Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

It is expected to focus on security steps to stabilise a fragile ceasefire.

Ms Rice, winding up her first visit to the region as secretary of state, said: "I depart the region confident of the success of the meeting tomorrow."

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