Rice emphasizes importance of two-state solution

VIDEO: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice emphasized the importance of recognizing international agreements regarding a two-state solution, at a Jerusalem press conference following her meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and expressed optimism about her upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "I'm looking forward to the tri-lateral meeting with Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas," she said. "We would like for the parties...to acknowledge international agreements based on a two state solution." Earlier at the same press conference, Livni stressed that the unity government deal between Hamas and Fatah did not satisfy the demands of the international community that a Palestinian government recognize Israel and renounce violence. "The (unity government) understandings do not meet the requirements of the international community," Livni said with Rice at her side. "It is crucial to understand that Israel, with the international community, expects any Palestinian government to meet these requirements fully and completely." An official in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said that US President George Bush had agreed, in a Friday telephone call between the two leaders, to shun a Palestinian unity government unless it met these preconditions. The statement was not confirmed by US officials. Rice did not make any similar statement about a White House decision, although she did emphasize the importance of US and Quartet demands that a Palestinian government to recognize Israel and former treaties with it. "The quartet has, of course, reiterated the importance of its principles because they are foundational principles for peace," she said. "It only makes sense that you have to renounce violence, it only makes sense that you have to recognize the right of your partner to exist and to respect international agreements. Nonetheless, Rice said she is reserving judgment on the new Palestinian government. "There's a difference between the announcement of the intention to form a government and the actual formation of that government," she said. "We will wait for the formation of that government before we decide how to deal with it," she added. The complications caused by the unity government's problematic stance clearly did not deter Rice from her main focus. "I have said if there was a perfect time to come to the Middle East, you wouldn't get on an air plane, and so despite the complications it's an important time to have these discussions ... about the principles of two states for two peoples," she said. AP and Reuters contributed to this report

Rice emphasizes importance of two-state solution

(VIDEO) In press conference with Foreign Minister Livni, Rice stresses that Quartet demands are 'foundational principles for peace' but reserves judgment on new Palestinian government