Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said on Monday that Syria's role in the Middle East peace process after Annapolis conference "will be helpful"."I would hope that Syria would support the legitimate authority of the Palestinians", said Rice in her appearance at the Womens Foreign Policy Group referring to the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "Everyone understands that Syria is a party to the conflict, that there are tracks other than the Palestinian-Israeli track that will ultimately have to be resolved if there is to be a comprehensive peace in the Middle East", she added.
Rice did not rule out the possibility of negotiations between Syria and Israel noting that Damascus would play "a helpful role" in the Middle East peace process. "The United States is going to support efforts of peace whenever they come, wherever they come", she said asserting that the Palestinian-Israeli track is "the one that is now most mature".
Rice affirmed that the two-state solution "is going to have to be achieved soon" and argued that Hamas "is going to have to make a choice ultimately" about how to deal with this ongoing negotiation track. Rice said that the United States is "supporting responsible Palestinian leaders as they work together to secure their streets from extremist enemies" and is "affirming our historic support for Israel's security, so its leaders will be confident in their pursuit of peace".
"The Palestinians have waited too long for the Dignity™ that will come with their own state. And the Israelis have waited too long for the security that will come in sitting side by side with a democratic neighbor", she said.
Rice criticized the Israeli built of hundred of apartments in Jerusalem. "This is a time that we should be building confidence and this is not something that builds confidence. It does not help to build confidence", she said.