BERLIN - The Quartet of Middle East peace negotiatiors on Wednesday reiterated its demand that the new Palestinian unity government abide by its conditions to recognize Israel, renounce violence and adhere to past international agreements.

The Quartet gathered on Wednesday for the second time this month in search of a way to advance stalled peace efforts amid strong misgivings about the Palestinians' planned unity government.

The meeting's host, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said in a press conference after the meeting, "We know that this process of drawing closer together is difficult, and for that reason we want to support it."

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The group's statement said it reaffirmed its commitment to meet regularly, and said it would hold a future meeting in an unspecified Arab country - an apparent part of the effort to win support for the peace process among moderate Arab states.

United States Secretary of State Rice added that Washington had not yet decided on whether it would recognize the planned Palestinian unity government and planned to take a "wait and see" approach.

"There isn't a Palestinian unity government to support at the moment," Rice said after a meeting in Berlin of the Mideast Quartet consisting of the United States, the UN, Russia and the European Union.

Rice stressed the need to adhere to the principles laid down by the Quartet in 2003. "We in the U.S. are going to wait and see until the government has been formed," she said.

Rice wants the Quartet, comprising the United Nations, Russia, the European Union and the United States, to play a bigger role in trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace moves, but she also wants to keep up pressure on Hamas.

Before the meeting, Steinmeier cautioned against building unrealistic expectations for the U.S.-backed push for peace.

"All involved are well aware that this is and remains a difficult process," Steinmeier said after talks with Rice. We have to show a great deal of realism as far as expectations are concerned.

The Quartet has said it will withhold judgment on the unity coalition until its policies are known.

The Mecca deal contained a vague promise to "respect" previous agreements. Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas is due to travel to Berlin later on Wednesday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Abbas: Palestinians committed to rejecting violence, respecting accords
British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday told Palestinian Authority Chairman that the new Palestinian unity government must abide by the conditions laid out by the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators.

Blair met with Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday and praised him for being committed to peace.

"Obviously, there's going to be a lot of negotiation and talking over the formation of the national unity government. And it's important, as I said to President Abbas, that that conforms to the principals laid down by the so-called Quartet of Middle East peacemakers,"Blair said at a press conference after their meeting.

The British prime minister said that the overall goal of long-stalled international talks on Middle East peace was to ensure a secure Israel and an independent, sovereign and viable state of Palestine.

He predicted a difficult time in future negotiations, but said, "I have no doubt that the president [Abbas] is sincerely and completely committed to this."

"I would like to pay tribute to the president's vigor and determination in moving this forward."

Abbas said the Palestinians were committed to rejecting violence, to international law and to meeting all agreements reached previously with Israel.

"We are really concerned about getting the kind of peace that is based on a two-state solution - Israel and Palestine - which live in security and peace side by side," Abbas said.

Blair spoke earlier Wednesday by telephone with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a spokesman at Downing St. said, without providing any details.

Blair: Progress with 'sensible' Hamas elements possible
Before his meeting with Abbas, Blair told the House of Commons on Wednesday that bringing democracy and justice to the Middle East was the best way to guarantee the future security of the West.

He also said it was possible to make progress in the Middle East with "sensible" members of Hamas.

"I think there are possibilities for progress and I hope that in the coming weeks a framework to take this forward becomes a bit clearer," he told parliament.

"It's far easier to deal with the situation in Palestine if there is a national unity government ... I hope we can make progress, including even with the more sensible elements of Hamas."

"It's not a question of ignoring the mandate of Hamas," Blair added. "How can we take the Middle East peace process forward with a government that says 'We don't even recognize the right of Israel to exist' - that's the problem."

During their talks, Abbas was expected to lobby the British leader to help convince the United States to accept a unity government formed between his Fatah and Hamas.

Washington is cautious about the Palestinian power-sharing
pact struck between Abbas and Hamas in the Saudi city of Mecca this month. It wants to continue to shun Hamas, which does not recognize Israel and won an election last year, and has promoted an international aid embargo against the Palestinian Authority.

"President Abbas wants Prime Minister Blair to persuade the Americans that the Mecca deal is the only way out," the Palestinian ambassador to London, Manuel Hassassian, said.

"If there is any European country that can influence the Americans it's going to be the UK, given the fact that Blair is a personal friend of President [George W.] Bush."

Europeans regard the deal, which ended weeks of fighting between Hamas and Fatah in which more than 90 people died, as the best chance to avoid a Palestinian civil war.

"Abbas wants to sell the national unity government to Blair as the only way to get out of the impasse, lift the sanctions imposed on the Palestinian people and reinvigorate the stalled peace process," the Palestinian envoy said.

Blair also said Wednesday that Britain would reduce its troop levels in Iraq by 1,600 over coming months, but its soldiers would stay in the country into 2008 as long as they were wanted.

"The actual reduction in forces will be from the present 7,100 - itself down from over 9,000 two years ago and 40,000 at the time of the conflict - to roughly 5,500," Blair told parliament. "The U.K. military presence will continue into 2008, for as long as we are wanted and have a job to do," he said.