Rice, when questioned about whether the US was looking for a document of some kind to lay down on paper what progress the sides have made and whether they have reaffirmed their commitment to the Annapolis agreement, said: “As I understand it, they are going to affirm that the Annapolis process and the framework it establishes is indeed the basis on which they believe they can come to a resolution of their conflict, regardless of anyone’s timetables.”
Livni also said that Obama shouldn’t talk to Iran just yet, warning that such dialogue could project “weakness” — a first sign of disagreement with the incoming American administration.
Obama has stated a willingness to talk to Iran about its nuclear program, which Israel, the US and others believe is aimed at developing an atomic bomb.
His policy marks a departure from that of the Bush administration, which has refused to engage Iranian leaders.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated Obama on Thursday, the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a US president-elect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Ahmadinejad sent a message to Obama in which he congratulated the Democrat on “attracting the majority of voters in the election.”
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