Mideast Summit To Usher In Truce

Rice praised Abbas, saying he is following through on his mandate to restore calm in the Palestinian areas and that he has helped jump-start peace efforts with Israel.

"We will be very active," Rice said at a joint news conference with Abbas, capping a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank. She urged Israelis and Palestinians to make "maximum effort" to make the best of the current chance for peace.

Rice said Gen. William E. Ward, a decorated army officer who served as head of a NATO force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been chosen for the job of security coordinator. She said Ward, who was also posted in Germany, Somalia and Egypt, would visit the Middle East in coming weeks and report directly to her.

Ward will monitor compliance with security requirements, including reform of the Palestinian security forces, Rice said. She stressed that the United States prefers that Israel and the Palestinians negotiate with each other directly.

The White House is emphasizing that President Bush plans separate meetings with Sharon and Abbas, reports CBS News Correspondent Peter Maer. No date has been set for the spring meetings. Spokesman Scott McClellan said the administration is "doing everything we can" to advance the Middle East peace process.

Rice's meeting with Abbas ended years of strained relations between the United States and the Palestinians under the leadership of Yasser Arafat, shunned by Washington as a leader tainted by terrorism.

The Palestinians, in turn, had complained that President Bush, at least in his first term, favored Israel and was not active enough in trying to resolve the Mideast conflict.

At the start of her visit, Rice met with Israeli leaders, including Sharon.

Rice said she told the Israelis that they must refrain from taking unilateral actions that would prejudge the outcome of future peace negotiations. She singled out Jerusalem, claimed by both sides as a capital, and specifically referred to recent Israeli efforts to seize Jerusalem land owned by West Bank Palestinians. Israel's attorney has since ordered the policy stopped, and Rice said Monday she was pleased.

She said she told Israel it must live up to its obligations under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan. Under the road map, Israel was to have dismantled dozens of unauthorized West Bank settlement outposts and frozen settlement expansion, but has not done so.

"We did talk about the need to make sure that both obligations are carried out concerning settlements and outposts," she said of her talks with Israeli leaders.

Rice said she would appoint a "security coordinator" for the region who will "help with the consolidation of security and the rebuilding of the Palestinian security forces" — the strongest signal yet that Washington plans to become more involved.

"It really is to provide a focal point for training, equipping, helping Palestinians build their forces, and also for monitoring, and if necessary to help the parties on security matters," Rice said. "But .. we believe the best security cooperation is between the parties themselves."

Abbas indicated that he was told by Rice there would be an entire team of monitors. "Indeed, the United States promised us that there will be monitors to help prevent any friction and tension," he said.

Israel in the past has balked at international monitors, but a top Sharon aide said Ward would be welcome. "This is someone who will be like a referee, if there is a need ... on to mediate and prevent a crisis," said the aide, Raanan Gissin. "The American involvement will increase as progress is made."

Rice said in the next three months, the Palestinian Authority would receive more than $40 million in U.S. aid to help create jobs and rebuild the Palestinian infrastructure. The money is part of some $350 million in additional aid to the Palestinians, promised by Mr. Bush last week.