Rice seeks renewed Mid-East push

"Now we are in a situation in which I think a bilateral approach, in which I talk in parallel to the parties... is the best way," Condoleezza Rice said.

Ms Rice was speaking after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

She meets next with Jordan's King Abdullah in Amman before further talks with the Palestinians and Israelis.

"I think that it is extremely important that there be a political horizon for the Palestinian people," she said. "And I sincerely hope that in the future the parties themselves can talk about that political horizon among themselves."

Separate talks

But she said it was essential that the Palestinian government accept international demands to renounce violence and recognise Israel.

"I would hope that every state would search very deep to see what it can do at this crucial time to finally end this conflict "
Condoleezza Rice

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Egypt reform row

Ms Rice is talking to the Israeli and Palestinian leaders separately because Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert refuses to talk to Mr Abbas on matters of peace since the Fatah leader formed a national unity government with the Islamist group Hamas.

"There is no excuse for Israel to continue to run from serious negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organisation and President Abbas," said senior Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rudeina.

Ms Rice is in the region trying to restart the dormant Middle East peace process. It is her seventh to the region in eight months.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is also touring the Middle East.

After talks with Mr Abbas on Sunday he said achieving peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians was essential.

Mr Ban said he would urge Mr Olmert to halt settlement building in the West Bank, release frozen Palestinian funds and ease travel restrictions when he meets the prime minister on Monday.

United effort

Washington has not recognised the Palestinian unity government, but says it will talk to ministers who are not members of the Islamic group Hamas, which it regards as a terrorist group.

Earlier, Ms Rice held talks in the southern Egyptian city of Aswan with President Hosni Mubarak where the pair discussed ways to reinvigorate the peace process.

Addressing a news conference afterwards, Ms Rice said she hoped every state would "search very deep" to see how it could help end the conflict.

"The Palestinian people have waited long enough to have a state of their own and the Israeli people have waited long enough to have the kind of security that will come from the establishment of a stable and democratic neighbour to live in peace with," Ms Rice said.