Rice on Mission to Middle East to Promote New Iraq Policy

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice departs for the Middle East Friday to push the Bush administration's new policy for Iraq. Rice will hold talks with officials in Israel and the Palestinian territories Saturday and Sunday. She then heads to Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait before wrapping up her diplomatic mission with talks in Germany and Britain.

The secretary of state is hoping to shore up support for President Bush's plan to send an additional 20-thousand troops to Iraq to help quell sectarian violence tearing the country apart. Rice will also attempt to jump start efforts to negotiate a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

美国国务卿赖斯星期五启程前往中东地区，推动布什政府的伊拉克新战略。赖斯星期六和星期天将分别会晤以色列和巴勒斯坦权力机构官员。赖斯随后将前往埃及、约旦、沙特阿拉伯和科威特，最后在结束这次外交行程前访问德国和英国。

赖斯国务卿此行希望为布什政府向伊拉克增派2万军队帮助遏制教派暴力活动的计划寻求支持。教派暴力威胁导致伊拉克的国家分裂。赖斯还希望启动以色列和巴勒斯坦人之间的谈判，建立持久和平。