US Secretary of States Condoleezza Rice(2nd R) waves to the crowd as she enters the main Palestinian National Authority (PNA) headquarters in the accompany of Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa (1st R) in the West Bank city of Ramallah on July 23, 2005. (Photo: Xinhua)

    RAMALLAH, July 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting US Secretary of States Condoleezza Rice urged on Saturday the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to restore calm in and after an intended Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

    Mohamed Ishteyya, Palestinian housing minister, who attended a meeting between Rice and Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, told reporters that Rice asked for restoration of calmness.

    Rice said that the Palestinian National Authority has to guarantee a calm withdrawal and not under Palestinian militants
fire, according to Ishteyya.

    Rice guaranteed that the US administration will continue exerting efforts to find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict based on a two-state vision, the minister said.

    He said Rice asked the Israeli side not to carry out actions that will harm talks on final status issues, including Jerusalem and settlements in the West Bank.

    Later in the day, Rice will meet with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Interior Minister Nasser Yousef and Civil Affairs Minister Mohamed Dahlan.

    Israel will evacuate 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in northern West Bank in mid-August. Enditem