Rice criticized former President Jimmy Carter

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticized former President Jimmy Carter on Friday for his plans to meet in Syria with the leader of the Palestinian group Hamas during a trip next week to the Middle East.

Rice, speaking to reporters in Washington, affirmed that Hamas is a terrorist organization that has been unwilling to "come into line with international standards concerning the Middle East."

She then blamed Hamas for a coup against the Palestinian Authority and said, "I find it hard to understand what is going to be gained by having discussions with Hamas about peace when Hamas is, in fact, the impediment to peace."

Rice's comments come a day after a State Department spokesman said Carter's meeting with senior Hamas officials would not be "in the interest of peace."