U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaks as David Welch, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, looks on at the State Department in Washington December 18, 2008. Welch steps down from the State Department for the private carrier.

    WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced the resignation of Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch on Thursday.

    Welch, 55, who speaks fluent Arabic, has long been top U.S. Middle East diplomat in charge of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and U.S. normalization with Libya.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (R) greets David Welch, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, at the State Department in Washington December 18, 2008. Welch steps down from the State Department for the private carrier.

    "You have been extraordinary in your work and I have been honored to be your colleague," Rice said in a tribute to Welch at a ceremony.

    In response, Welch said that he was proud to be working on "the most exciting and challenging of issues" when he was in the State Department. He said he intended to work in the private sector after resignation.