VOA常速英语:Rice: 'No Stone Unturned' in Effort for Mideast Peace

On Tuesday, Secretary Rice told a U.S. conference on investment in the Palestinian Territories that since then, the parties have engaged in sustained, substantive negotiations to achieve a two-state solution to their conflict.

She said, "We must do everything that we can with the negotiating partners to get to the Annapolis solution and that would be to find an agreement between these parties by the end of the year. It is very difficult. There is a hard road ahead. But if we do not try, we certainly will not succeed."

The gathering of U.S. business leaders, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, was a follow-up to a conference held in May in Bethlehem where investors pledged to pump more than $1 billion into the Palestinian economy.

Rice noted in her speech that she and President Bush leave office in January and vowed to continue her efforts to make progress toward peace. "Until that moment when I leave office, I will leave no stone unturned to see if we can finally resolve this conflict between peoples."

Secretary Rice has made numerous trips to the Middle East, but negotiators have made little public progress. Israeli and Palestinian leaders have expressed doubt they can achieve an agreement by the end of the year.

Rice said the Palestinians and Israelis need to redouble their efforts for peace. "The Palestinian Authority has to continue to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism and to promote an atmosphere of tolerance. Israel must also halt settlement activity, which can be seen as prejudging the outcome of negotiations and undermining its negotiating partner."

Rice also urged the Israelis to make more progress in reducing roadblocks and other impediments to Palestinian movement to allow businessmen and workers to operate in an environment in which Palestinian people and their economy can thrive.

Major issues in the conflict continue to be the borders of a future Palestinian state, the fate of Palestinian refugees and the status of Jerusalem.