Unity government complicates peace efforts, says Rice

WASHINGTON - The United States has informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that it may shun the imminent Fatah-Hamas unity government because it will not explicitly recognize Israel, Abbas aides said Thursday.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did not confirm this statement, but did say that the Bush administration has strong reservations about Abbas' planned union with Hamas.  She added that such a union complicates peacemaking efforts. 

The White House emphasized on Thursday that US demands remained the same for ending the boycott slapped on the Palestinian government when Hamas took power last March.

"Israel needs a negotiating partner that acknowledges Israel's right to exist, renounces the use of violence against Israel and also abides by previous international agreements involving the Palestinians and Israel," spokesman Tony Snow said.

Abbas had held talks earlier Thursday with US Consul General Jacob Walles. A Palestinian official said Walles had signalled Washington would not recognise the new government as it did not clearly meet the conditions.

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack was less explicit but said "uncertainties" over the new government had complicated matters.

"Certainly, uncertainties regarding the possible Palestinian government, what its platform will be, what its composition would be and what it would eventually do and say, have complicated the situation somewhat," he said.

'Determined' to go ahead with Mideast visit

Nonetheless, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is "determined" to go ahead with her visit to the region next week, in order to meet with Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the two of them together.

"She is going to lend her full support and her energy to try to move this process forward, so that we can support the two parties in coming together to resolve all the differences that may exist between them, from large to small," Snow said.

If we wait for total clarity on the unity government's stance, Rice's plane would never take off. It would save a lot of fuel, but would mean we would not be involved in the process, he quipped.

Despite such US involvement, McCormack emphasized that "the ball is in the Palestinians' court."

"They are still trying to...find answers to a lot of questions that still exist out there. We can't answer those questions for them. Egyptians can't answer those questions for them. The Israelis can't. The Saudis can't. They need to answer those questions for themselves," he said.

The Palestinian president, in his intended meeting with Rice on Sunday, will try to change the US position on the unity government, Abbas aides said.

The joint meeting with both Abbas and Olmert is set to take place with Rice on Monday, though hopes for even a minor breakthrough at that summit were dampened by America's position on the new government.

AP, AFP and Ali Waked contributed to this report