Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has called for a truce between Israel and Palestinian militants before the Middle East peace talks can resume.
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Mr Abbas suspended the talks in protest at Israel's offensive in Gaza, in which more than 110 Palestinians have died.
Mr Rice insisted she still believed a peace deal could be achieved this year.
"What we are trying to achieve is not easy... but I do believe it can be done. We need very much for everybody to be focused on peace," she said.
"We look forward to the resumption of those negotiations as soon as possible."
Ms Rice warned that the "real threat" to peace process were extremists who oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, and vowed not to "let them win".
Israel and the Palestinian Authority have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal since the US-sponsored conference at Annapolis late last year, which set out the aim to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel by the end of 2008.
(BBC)
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