Quds city, Nov 22, SPA -- The United States wants to take advantage of new opportunities in the Middle East and supports Palestinian presidential elections set for Jan. 9, outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told Israel's prime minister on Monday. Powell spoke at the start of a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Powell was to hold talks with Palestinian leaders later Monday in the West Bank town of Jericho and visit a voter registration office there. Powell said Monday that the United States will do what it can to ensure peaceful elections. He said: "This is a moment of opportunity. We look forward to the Palestinian elections that will be held on January 9." Powell reiterated that the Palestinians must rein in militants. "Violence must be ended," he said. He said Israel and the Palestinians must renew their commitments in the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan, which was launched in June 2003, but never got off the ground. "All sides must be prepared to meet their obligations under the road map," he said. The plan requires Israel to freeze settlements in the first phase, and asks the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups.
