Reuters AlertNet Lite - Bush promotes peace process as Rice heads to Mideast

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Bush promotes peace process as Rice heads to Mideast

22 Mar 2007 19:35:46 GMT
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, March 22 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Thursday he was dedicated to pursuing Middle East peace as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prepared to visit the region amid skepticism about U.S. commitment to the peace process.

Rice will travel to Egypt, Israel, the West Bank and Jordan during a Friday-Tuesday trip that is will be her third visit to the Middle East this year and appears to reflect a U.S. desire to focus on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The trip's timing is less than ideal given Saturday's formation of a Hamas-led Palestinian unity government that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert plans to shun because it has not recognized Israel or renounced violence.

Arab diplomats and Middle East analysts remain uncertain how serious Washington is about promoting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians after six years of what many regard as relative inaction by the Bush administration.

"Peace in the Middle East is a priority for this administration," Bush told reporters with Rice at his side after he met U.S. officials serving in reconstruction teams in Iraq at a government office building beside the White House.

Bush said Rice would work with Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders to explore ways to achieve a two-state solution of Israel living beside a Palestinian state.

"I have been on the phone to some of my counterparts in the Middle East, reminding them that I have a strong commitment to this vision, as does the secretary," Bush said.

The White House said the calls took place on Friday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Saudi King Abdullah.

"This will be hard work. It's not easy to get all parties headed in the right direction. But it's necessary work for this country, and it's necessary for our secretary of state, with my strong approval, to be moving the process forward," he added.

The United States hopes that a March 28-29 Arab League summit will revive a 2002 Arab peace plan that offered Israel normal ties with Arab countries in return for full withdrawal from land it occupied in the 1967 Middle East war.

During her trip, Rice is expected to meet Mubarak, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah.

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Last updated:Thu Mar 22 19:40:13 2007