US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a joint press conference with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in Amman on Monday that Mideast peace talks are "moving in the right direction".

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attend a joint news conference in Amman March 31, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Meanwhile, she criticized Israel for continuing building new settlements, saying it does not conform to the roadmap peace plan which was revived at the US-sponsored Annapolis conference last November.

"Settlement activity should stop; Expansion should stop," Rice said.

According to statistics of Israeli government, Israel has approved the construction of almost 1,700 homes in contested territory since renewing peace talks with the Palestinians at the US-sponsored summit in November.

In the press conference, Abbas said he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on April 7. "My meeting with the Prime Minister will be held soon; I believe it will be on April 7."