US special envoy to Middle East, George Mitchell has said that Washington is committed to a Palestinian state living with Israel side by side in peace and security. He told newspersons after his talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah last evening. He said, both sides discussed their common vision for a viable, independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory. Netanyahu's office described the talks with Mitchell earlier in Jerusalem as productive and constructive, and focused on steps for advancing the peace process. Israel's refusal to freeze settlement construction, and Palestinian refusal to resume peace talks without that freeze overshadowed George Mitchell's last trip to the region.