Related: Rice arrives in Jericho for talks with Abbas ¡¡    

          Haneya: talks on unity gov't face differences

    RAMALLAH, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that talks to form a national unity government had reached a "dead-end", following talks with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in West Bank city of Jericho, reported al-Jazeera TV channel.

    "Our people have been suffering for nine months the lack of salaries and resources. Unfortunately, we could not succeed or reach our goal which was a unity government able to take off and deal with the international community," Abbas said during a joint press conference with Rice.

    The Palestinian president also said that he lamented the difficulties surrounding efforts to form a joint government between the Palestinians' current Hamas rulers and his own Fatah party.

    "We have discussed our efforts to form a national unity government. We have exerted efforts ... but unfortunately we have hit a dead end," Abbas added.

    Abbas hinted that he favors a technocratic government, saying, "Independents and geniuses can be found among Fatah, Hamas and all sectors of our people."

    Meanwhile, Abbas told reporters he had discussed current cease-fire in Gaza with Rice, expressing hopes that calm would extend to the West Bank.

    "Enforcing the truce will pave the way to return back to the peace process in the Middle East," Abbas said.

    For her part, Rice said the U.S. hoped to accelerate efforts to

    find a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to extend the scope of a recently declared cease-fire between the two sides.

    She also said that the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories, including what she called "humiliations" must be eased.

    On Nov. 26, a vulnerable truce between Israel and the Palestinians has been taken into effect, ending a five-month Israeli military offensive in Gaza.

    One day after the cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert said for the first time Israel was ready to free jailed Palestinians, including long-serving prisoners, if a captive soldier Gilad Shalit was released.

    Rice's meeting with Abbas was part of the ongoing U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region.

    On Thursday morning, visiting U.S. President George W. Bush had met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Amman, Jordan, discussing ways to curb the violence in the war-wracked country.

    Rice is also expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later Thursday in Jerusalem.