[…] Security and the rule of law represent the foundations of any successful state, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, citing $242.3 million in total new aid pledged to revamp the Palestinian justice system, which is an essential ingredient in the Middle East peace process. “To feel invested in a future state, Palestinians must have confidence that their police, courts and penal system are dedicated to upholding the rule of law and respecting human rights,”

[…] Representatives of the Quartet – U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel – met today in Berlin to discuss the situation in the Middle East.

They were joined by Quartet Representative Tony Blair.

[…] Thank you very much Frank-Walter, I'm really honored to represent the United States at this very important conference and obviously, the support for Palestinian institutions of security and justice is essential to achieving our vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. This is, indeed, an important conference as we move to try and achieve what we started at Annapolis.

[…] I would like to begin by saying that I was deeply saddened to hear that Peter Mackler died. And he, of course, was with us on a number of trips, a truly good guy. And – yes, he was, and a great journalist. And I think, really, did a great service in organizing the foreign service – the foreign correspondence for the State Department.

[…] I have just had an opportunity to meet for the first time the president of Lebanon, President Suleiman. We’ve had a very good conversation about the relationship between Lebanon and the United States. I have expressed on behalf of President Bush and on behalf of the American people our desire to support Lebanon, its government, its democratic institutions and its people in building a fully sovereign Lebanon, a peaceful Lebanon, and a Lebanon that is prosperous and democratic for all of its people.