White House confirms Bush will visit the Middle East in January - Haaretz

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Fri., December 21, 2007 Tevet 12, 5768

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		U.S. President George W. Bush. (Reuters)

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Last update - 00:12 19/12/2007

White House confirms Bush will visit the Middle East in January

By The Associated Press

Tags: Palestinians, Bush, Israel

President George W. Bush, trying to nurture fragile peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, will make his first trip to Israel and the West Bank next month as part of a nine-day swing through the Middle East.

On a nine-day trip beginning Jan. 8, Bush plans to stop in Israel, the West Bank, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. It will be Bush's first presidential visit to each of the countries, except Egypt.

Asked whether Bush will engage in detailed negotiating during his tour, White House press secretary Dana Perino said, "I do not anticipate - although we can let you know as we get closer - whether there will be detailed discussions about concessions."

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She said Bush wants the leaders to keep their eye on finding a way to achieve a long-term, sustainable peace.

Perino said Bush currently is scheduled to have bilateral sessions, not a three-way meeting, with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

The White House said the trip also will be an opportunity to reaffirm the United States' commitment to the security of allies in the Middle East, especially with Gulf nations, and work with them to combat terrorism and extremism.

In Jerusalem, Bush will meet with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and in the West Bank he will meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The president will then travel to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates,
Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

According to Bush, conditions in Israel and the Palestinian territories are ripe for a more aggressive U.S. role, after Abbas and Olmert agreed at the U.S.-sponsored conference in Annapolis, Maryland, to renew peace talks.

Negotiating teams held their first session in the region on Dec. 12, but achieving a peace agreement is far from a reality. Fundamental differences have led to the collapse of previous peace efforts: the borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem and the rights of Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

In a boost to the Palestinian government, the world on Monday pledged $7.4billion in aid during the next three years to support Abbas' government. Abbas used the donors' conference in Paris to urge Israel to remove roadblocks quickly, stop building its separation barrier in the West Bank and freeze settlement expansion without exceptions.

Related articles:

Abbas aide: Bush's visit to Israel, PA set for January 9-11

Bush to make first official visit to Israel in January to push talks

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