LOC14:28
11:28 GMT
VIENNA, May 31 (KUNA) -- Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice
affirmed on Thursday the necessity of reviving peace efforts to resolve the
Middle East crisis and confirmed anew US support for the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state.
Rice, speaking at a joint news conference with her Austrian counterpart on
the sidelines of the international women's empowerment conference, called for
resuming peace efforts to in the Middle East, and indicated that the concerned
powers should not wait any further for "the proper time."
She echoed President George W. Bush's vow to seek to establish an
independent Palestinian state that could live peacefully side by side with
Israel.
Rice called on Iran anew to stop all uranium enrichment processes to pave
way for a settlement to its nuclear issue, adding that Tehran should prove to
the world that it had peaceful intentions regarding the nuclear program.
For her part, Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plasnik voiced concern at
continuous violence in the Middle East, and indicated that complex regional
problems hampered development of women's conditions in countries of the region.
Women leaders can contribute in efforts to "get out of the dark tunnel,"
she said. (end)
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