WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch on Tuesday met with Palestinian officials in Gaza, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

    Welch joined Gaza security coordinator General William Ward for talks with Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yussef and his security aides. Ward also visited Gaza last week.

    "They took the opportunity to underline ... the importance of Palestinian security officials ensuring that the withdrawal take place in an atmosphere of calm and free from violence," McCormack said at a news briefing.

    Welch and Ward did not meet with any Israeli officials or settlers Tuesday, the State Department official said.

    Welch's visit to Gaza was the first by a senior US diplomat after an 18-month ban on travel there following an attack on a US diplomatic convoy that killed three Americans.

    The two-hour meeting was part of efforts to nail down details of the Gaza handover, which Washington believes could serve as a catalyst to reinvigorate implementation of a US-backed "road map" for a comprehensive peace.

    The road map, adopted by Israel and the Palestinians in 2003, is a performance-based peace plan authored by the US, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations that called for an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with two states living peacefully by the end of 2005.

    Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has visited Israel and the West Bank three times this year as preparations for the Gaza withdrawal intensified. She strengthened her warnings each time that both sides must work together and refrain from incitement or violence.

    With the Israeli pullout after 38 years, Palestinians will be in charge of internal security for the first time. Enditem