WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Israel must halt West Bank settlement activity and the Palestinians need to increase West Bank security to advance the Middle East peace process, President Obama said Thursday after meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, left, meets with President Obama Thursday. "I am confident that we can move this process forward if all the parties are willing to take on the responsibilities and meet the obligations that they've already committed to," Obama told reporters in a joint appearance with Abbas following the White House meeting. Abbas said his Palestinian Authority was committed to fulfilling its obligations under the 2003 Middle East road map.

"What is needed right now is to resume the discussions with the current

OPTIONS:
- Abbas government," Abbas said.
- CNN government," Abbas said.
- Israel government," Abbas said.
- Israeli government," Abbas said.
- Mahmoud Abbas government," Abbas said.
- Middle East government," Abbas said.
- Mideast government," Abbas said.
- Obama government," Abbas said.
- Palestinian Authority government," Abbas said.
- Palestinians government," Abbas said.
- WASHINGTON government," Abbas said.
- West Bank government," Abbas said.
- White House government," Abbas said.
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Israel government," Abbas said.


(CNN) -- Russia lashed out Friday against the latest round of sanctions over its involvement in Ukraine, accusing the United States of once again escalating the crisis -- undermining the chances for peace there as well as the greater quest for "global stability." This followed U.S. President Barack Obama's announcement Thursday that, in coordination with the European Union, "we will intensify our coordinated sanctions on Russia in response to its illegal actions in Ukraine." The United States and its allies, chief among them Ukraine's Kiev-based government, accuse Russia of implicitly and explicitly supporting separatists claiming territory and battling the Ukrainian military in the European nation's east and south. Moscow has voiced moral support for the rebels but denied any direct involvement, including countering NATO and others' claims that its forces have entered Ukraine and fired on Ukraine's military.

Instead, it said it is "leaving the door open to constructive and honest bilateral cooperation, including working together to tackle the Ukrainian crisis if the

OPTIONS:
- Barack Obama administration is willing."
- CNN administration is willing."
- European administration is willing."
- European Union administration is willing."
- Kiev administration is willing."
- Moscow administration is willing."
- NATO administration is willing."
- Russia administration is willing."
- U.S. administration is willing."
- Ukraine administration is willing."
- Ukrainian administration is willing."
- United States administration is willing."
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U.S. administration is willing."


TRIPOLI, Libya (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Friday with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, who asked for the latest news on the hurricanes plaguing U.S. coasts in recent weeks. Condoleezza Rice and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi discussed the weather Friday at their initial meeting. "The first one was not as bad as feared, but there are two more coming," Rice told the man dubbed by President Reagan "the mad dog in the Middle East." Rice's visit is the first time in more than half a century that a U.S. secretary of state has visited the former pariah nation.

She called the meeting a "good start" toward establishing a "positive relationship" with

OPTIONS:
- CNN.
- Condoleezza Rice.
- Libya.
- Libyan.
- Middle East.
- Moammar Gadhafi.
- Reagan.
- Rice.
- TRIPOLI.
- U.S..
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Libya.