GOOGLE UPDATES: "RICE CEASE FIRE"

By the NewsMax.com Staff
For the story behind the story...
Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:24 p.m. EDT

Rice to Meet With Annan, Visit Middle East
http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/7/18/132747.shtml?s=br

GOOGLE UPDATES: "RICE CESE FIRE"

NewsMax has learned that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice plans to meet with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the Middle East crisis later this week on her way to the war-torn region.

Israeli and U.S. sources tell NewsMax that Rice is expected to arrive in Jerusalem "this weekend."

Rice is expected to transit through Manhattan on Friday and be briefed by Annan's team, which has been conducting negotiations in Beirut and Jerusalem. The meeting with Annan is a stop-over on her way to Israel.

Rice and Annan, who recently returned from the G-8 Summit in Russia, will reportedly advance conversations about a possible cease-fire agreement in an effort to deal with the escalating crisis among Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon.

U.N. and Israeli sources tell NewsMax that while no cease-fire has been agreed to "yet," Tuesday meetings between Israeli and U.N. officials "went well."

U.N. sources tell NewsMax that they have a tentative approval on the terms for prospective cease-fire from the Lebanese government and Hezbollah, though details were not released.

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled a closed briefing with the U.N. negotiating team for Thursday in New York City.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Condoleezza Rice
Israel
Middle East
United Nations
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