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Last update - 03:45 08/05/2008 U.S.: Bush won't hold three-way meet during Mideast visit By The Associated Press Tags: Israel, George W Bush  President Bush's second trip to the Mideast this year, designed in part to make progress toward a peace deal before the end of his presidency, will not see him hosting a joint session with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the White House said Wednesday. "This did not seem the time for a big, high-level, three-way event," Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security adviser, told reporters. "It just doesn't feel right as the best way to advance the negotiation." Bush has set a goal of shepherding an Israeli-Palestinian accord before he leaves office in January and has stepped into Mideast peacemaking at a level not previously seen in his presidency. But after launching in November the first substantive peace talks between the two sides in more than seven years, hopes that started out moderately high have dimmed considerably. Advertisement Even Bush's once-unfailingly optimistic language on the peace process has become more tempered of late. And the lack of a three-way meeting between him, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas - after on-again, off-again talk that one might be in the offing for this trip - seemed an ominous sign. The primary purpose of the president's five-day trip to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, a follow-up to his trip to the same three countries and others in the region in January, is ceremonial. He is marking the 60th anniversary of Israel's creation and 75 years of U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia. Bush also has plenty of official business on his plate. He delivers speeches before the Knesset, and at the World Economic Forum in the Middle East, a gathering of hundreds of global policymakers and business leaders being held in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt. Also while in the Red Sea resort for two days, Bush is meeting with a string of leaders key to U.S. goals in the region: Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, as well as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora and Iraqi leaders. "It's both symbolic and substantive," Hadley said of Bush's trip, which starts Tuesday. While in Jerusalem, Bush will hold talks with Olmert and Israeli President Shimon Peres in addition to attending a conference marking the Israeli anniversary and throwing a reception in honor of it. The White House decision for the president to see Abbas only while in Egypt, and not on another visit to the Palestinian territories, raised eyebrows with Palestinians - especially given the lavish attention being paid to Israel's celebration. "We are, in some sense, all over this process, both in Israel and in terms of the West Bank," Hadley said. "And I think it just made sense in terms of the president's scheduling and given the messages and the themes we wanted to strike, this seemed to be a good way to accomplish what we are trying to accomplish with the trip." Both sides in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian dispute have failed to take basic trust-building steps considered necessary for successful negotiations to move forward on the stickiest matters: the borders of a Palestinian state, the future of Jerusalem and the fate of refugees with claims to Jewish land. The seizure of control of the Gaza Strip by the militant group Hamas and from Abbas is a particularly difficult factor in talks. But Hadley said it doesn't preclude an agreement. "The door has been opened to Hamas to become part of this process. They have refused to do so," he said. "The Palestinian Authority has decided to go forward and negotiate with Israel." Domestic concerns, particularly sky-high gasoline prices in the U.S., could overshadow Bush's one-night stay in Saudi Arabia, where he will spend most of his time at King Abdullah's desert horse farm outside Riyadh. Hadley said Bush once again will press the Saudis to increase oil production to help bring pump prices down. Bush did the same during his meetings in January with Abdullah - a request that ultimately was ignored. Hadley defended Bush against criticism that he doesn't have enough sway with the Saudis. "Capacity is limited in the Middle East," he said. But OPEC nations such as Saudi Arabia have considerable additional production capacity, pumping a little over 8.5 million barrels a day and acknowledging the ability to produce as much as 11 million barrels a day. Hadley suggested Bush will outline for Abdullah the recent string of bad news in the U.S. economy in hopes of effecting a different outcome this time. This could pose an awkward argument for a president who focuses at home on predictions that the U.S. economy is fundamentally strong enough that it will bounce back from its troubles. "There are developments in terms of the world - the U.S. economy, in terms of its prospects and its strength," Hadley said. He said Bush would tell Abdullah - again - that oil suppliers need, for their own interests, to take into account the economic health of their customers who pay these prices. Related articles: Jewish issues to take center stage at Peres conference U.S. officials: Bush will wait to present final-status guidelines Abbas: I failed in U.S., no progress in peace talks Abbas asks Bush to keep closer eye on settlement expansion Bookmark to del.icio.us   Stronger than its ills The 60th anniversary celebrations are accompanied by a bad taste. Rise in racism Israeli Arabs say institutionalized racism has increased.   1.   LMFAO - What a farse 04:35  |  POP 08/05/08   2.   The Bush - English - English - Bush dictionary 04:53  |  Mark Lincoln 08/05/08   3.   Two State Solution is no longer a solution 05:29  |  beijing0808 08/05/08   4.   No three way photo op 05:52  |  Rowan 08/05/08   5.   Bush Gives Up again 07:52  |  Dave 08/05/08   6.   THREE-WAY MEET WITH MESHAL AND AS`AD 08:44  |  indrajaya 08/05/08   7.   Israel and Saudi Arabia 11:56  |  raymond deane 08/05/08   8.   Stephen Hadley 15:41  |  Joe 08/05/08   9.   no.6, Indrajaya, you need to read some history 15:48  |  Sam C 08/05/08   10.   no.7, Raymond Deane - quite untrue 15:56  |  Sam C 08/05/08   11.   Support Israel in presure Saudi Arabia 16:11  |  Palestinian 08/05/08   12.   Bush and the Cartel 16:22  |  Brod 08/05/08   13.   POP: If yoy are looking for a farce, USE a MIRROR, ISLAMOFASCIST 16:40  |  Vittorio 08/05/08   14.   bush wears yamika as olmert wears 10 gal hat 20:28  |  joefiasco 08/05/08   15.   Israel IS a stinking corpse 00:10  |  jonah 10/05/08

Read & React British PM: Israel`s creation one of 20th century`s `greatest achievements` Responses: 262 Ahmadinejad: Israel is a 'stinking corpse' doomed to disappear Responses: 252 Key witness 'fears Olmert may seek to harm him' Responses: 78 Jews bend over backward to stay neutral in U.S. vote Responses: 91 Jerome Segal: Through tough love, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be ended Responses: 93 Rosner's Domain Obama and the Jews: is 61% enough? Who's pushing the US to war with Iran? (WTR) Poll: If Olmert is gone, who should be PM? What Muslims really think? (WTR) The Democrats are fighting over Iran More Headlines 01:02 IAF kills 2 Hamas men after Israeli dies in mortar attack from Gaza 02:16 Key witness 'fears Olmert may seek to harm him' 17:38 Lebanese army moves into W. Beirut after Hezbollah takeover 21:27 White House calls on Iran, Syria to halt support for Hezbollah 16:34 ANALYSIS / Olmert probe shows the media really is the message 02:18 Olmert probe stirs resignation calls; Labor: We'll remain in gov't 22:24 Rabbi testifies in support of Hamas-linked imam facing U.S. ban 23:53 Hunt for kosher chicken causes headache for Apprentice 'Jewish' contestant 00:05 Chelsea's Grant becomes first Israeli to win manager of month 16:35 BACKGROUND / Olmert financier prefers to avoid the limelight 19:03 Palestinians say one dead in clash with Israelis near Ramallah 02:40 Police evacuate rightists trying to rebuild W. Bank settlement Previous Editions Select Day 09 may 08 may 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may 02 may 01 may 30 apr 29 apr 28 apr 27 apr

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