Rice tries for accord on Mideast borders

JERUSALEM -- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice extended her Middle East trip yesterday to try to broker an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians on Gaza border crossings, and said an accord was in sight.

Rice, urging an Israeli-Palestinian peace drive after Israel withdrew from Gaza in September, made a two-hour trip to Jordan to pay respects after the bombings last week that killed more than 50 people in three hotels. Rather than go to Asia as planned, Rice returned to Jerusalem.

US officials said she was determined to reach a pact before leaving for Asia, where she is to hold talks today with foreign ministers attending an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting.

As talks with both sides edged toward midnight last night, one likely scenario was that an agreement of principle or a framework for an accord might be announced. Exact details would be hammered out after Rice leaves.

Gaza's border crossing to Egypt is its main outlet. It has been closed since Israel withdrew in September.

Reopening it is seen as vital to boosting Gaza's economy and creating momentum for peace.

''There is agreement in sight," Rice said at a news conference in Ramallah, with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.

Israel has been under US pressure to reopen the Rafah crossing to Egypt to trade and travel, to help Gaza's poor population.

Sporadic fighting has put a damper on diplomacy. In the latest flare-up, Israel fatally shot a commander from the Hamas group in the West Bank, and killed another reported gunman on the Gaza border. Militants vowed revenge.

Rice's visit, her fourth to the region this year, has also been overshadowed by upheaval in Israel that threatens to bring down Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's coalition government, and to force early elections.

But Rice brought the two sides closer to an accord on reopening the Rafah border crossing, as well as creating a vital land passage between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

''It is very important for ordinary Palestinians . . . that there be freedom of movement established between Gaza and the West Bank," she said.

Both sides have agreed to European Union observers at Rafah. Differences appeared to center on Israeli monitoring of the crossing.

Israel says militants might take advantage of its lack of presence at the terminal to smuggle in weapons for armed groups in Gaza, and it has pushed for a video link through which it could see Palestinians crossing the border. Palestinians oppose this.

US officials have voiced frustration with what they view as the failure of both sides to capitalize on Israel's Gaza pullout.

The United States has said resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a foreign policy priority. Some critics have accused Washington of not offering a full engagement.

In her visit to Jordan, Rice met King Abdullah and laid a wreath in memory of the 54 people killed in the suicide bombings.