As US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday started her latest Mideast regional tour with the aim to salvage the US-sponsored peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians, Arab experts and media in Cairo didn't hold high expectations on her visit to achieve tangible results to push forward the stalled Mideast peace process.

Visit amid difficult situation

Rice's visit to the Middle East region was seen as a visit which comes amid a "very difficult situation as the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts and attacks are deteriorating the security situation in the Gaza Strip and Israeli cities as well," said Sayed Amin Shalaby, executive director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) and visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speak in a press conference in Ramallah, March 4, 2008. Rice urged Israel and the Palestinians on Tuesday to resume suspended peace negotiations and said she believed a deal was still possible by the end of the year. (Xinhua Photo)