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Rice to Discuss Gaza Pullout with Israel, Palestinians
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(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=DEE1F0:3919ACA

Secretary of State meets Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas in Ramallah before talks in Jerusalem on Sunday with Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon





Condoleezza Rice boards plane for Mideast trip, FridayU.S. Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice is in the Middle East for talks with Israeli
and Palestinian leaders about Israel's planned withdrawal from the
Gaza Strip in two months.

Before arriving in Israel Saturday, Ms. Rice told reporters traveling
with her that both sides still have much planning to do. She says
there must be no confusion on what "is likely to be, under the best of
circumstances, a pretty complicated set of days."

Secretary Rice meets Saturday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
in Ramallah before talks in Jerusalem on Sunday with Israeli Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon.

Ms. Rice says a U.S. envoy is close to completing an assessment of
what military equipment the Palestinians need for a security force
once Israeli forces pull out. Israel is concerned the equipment could
be used against Israelis rather than militants.


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