Proposals to jumpstart the Middle East peace process by establishing a provisional Palestinian state in temporary borders were rejected by President Abbas yesterday.

He told a press conference with Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State: “We reaffirmed our rejection of any temporary or transitional solutions, including a state with temporary borders, because we don’t see it as a realistic option.”

Dr Rice, on a tour of the Middle East to promote President Bush’s new Iraq policy, promised to renew efforts on the US-backed “road map”, which includes a proposal for temporary borders that omit the disputed area of East Jerusalem. “I have heard loud and clear the call for deeper American engagement in these processes. You will have my commitment to do precisely that,” she told Mr Abbas.

But Palestinian officials have grown suspicious of the “road map” towards a two-state solution, fearing that they will end up with a state within the temporary borders. Dr Rice admitted that she had not come to the region with a specific plan to revive negotiations. Having seen Mr Abbas yesterday, she will meet Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, today.

The situation is being hampered by the weakened positions of the Palestinian and Israeli leaders. Mr Abbas is trying to defuse a potential civil war between his Fatah party and the Hamas Government. Mr Olmert is facing a potential corruption inquiry. Mr Abbas said that he was determined to go ahead with early presidential and legislative elections if the latest coalition talks with Hamas failed.

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