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Last update - 18:01 03/02/2009
Clinton: Hamas must abide by preconditions to be included in talks
By News Agencies
Tags: Hillary Clinton, Hamas 

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that the United States wants to work with all involved parties to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but insisted that the Islamist group Hamas must first abide by the preconditions for such talks.

According to preconditions set by international powers, Hamas must renounce violence, recognize Israel and respect past peace agreements before being included in negotiations.

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We are looking to work with all of the parties to try to help them make progress toward a negotiated agreement that would end the conflict," Clinton told reporters during a joint news conference with U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell.

"Hamas knows the conditions," she said. "They must renounce violence, they must recognize Israel, they must agree to abide by prior agreements."

"We are not able to look into the future to see whether there will be changes on the part of Hamas that [would] meet our conditions but, you know, certainly that would be a clear path for them to follow," Clinton added.

She said the United States wanted to help create an independent and viable Palestinian state in both the West Bank, ruled by Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Clinton also said that Mitchell, who just returned from talks regional talks in a bid to shore up a ceasefire in Hamas-ruled Gaza, would be back in the Middle East before the end of the month, but she did not specify where he would go.

"This is the first of what will be an ongoing high level of engagement by Senator Mitchell," said Clinton.

Mitchell, who helped broker peace in Northern Ireland, said the situation in the Middle East was "obviously complex and difficult," but he was convinced that with patient diplomacy the United States could help achieve a long-term peace.

"There are no easy or risk-free courses of action," he told reporters. "I plan to establish a regular and sustained presence in the region."

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