Remarks at Dinner for Annapolis Conference Delegations

(7:10 p.m. EST)

SECRETARY RICE: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Good evening. May I ask you to be seated? Thank you.

Thank you very much. Welcome to the State Department. Welcome to the dinner prior to the start tomorrow of the Annapolis conference for Middle East peace. I would especially like to welcome President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, Prime Minister Olmert of the state of Israel. Without your leadership and your courage, we wouldn't be here tonight. And we look very much forward tomorrow to signaling the international support that is there for the bilateral process that you have begun to try and end your conflict and come to a two-state solution.

And so it's a delight to have tonight the President of the United States, who first talked about a Palestinian state and who has been a tireless advocate for the two-state solution. Mr. President, thank you for your commitment and thank you for joining us tonight. (Applause.)

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