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U.S. President George W. Bush, left, walking with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after addressing the press in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on Saturday (Reuters)
Last update - 18:38 18/05/2008
Bush says he's hopeful for democratic reform in Middle East
By The Associated Press
Tags: Mahmoud Abbas, George Bush 

At the start of his Mideast trip, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Israel glowing praise. As it ended on Sunday, the president gave the Arab world a stern lecture: Isolate state sponsors of terror and give citizens more freedoms.

"Too often in the Middle East, politics has consisted of one leader in power and the opposition in jail," Bush said at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East. "The time has come for nations across the Middle East to abandon these practices, and treat their people with the dignity and respect they deserve."

Bush's address to hundreds of global policymakers and business leaders gathered in this Red Sea beach town was his finishing touch on a five-day Mideast trip to Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
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The speech, and Bush's second Mideast trip of the year, came eight months before the end of his presidency, his target date for reaching a sweeping peace agreement that would resolve generations-old grievances and create a Palestinian state.

The president counseled Arab states to move past their old resentments against Israel and invest aggressively in the Palestinian people, what he views as their role in the process.

In contrast, many Arabs think Bush leans too far Israel's way in the long-running Mideast dispute, and that Washington doesn't push Israel hard enough to give way on issues that anger Palestinians and stymie a deal.

Bush has tried to counter that by talking more about the Palestinians' plight while here in Egypt than he did in Israel. He also offered plenty of praise for democratic advances, naming countries like Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco and Jordan.

"The light of liberty is beginning to shine," he said.

Bush's address was meant by the White House as the twin to president's speech Thursday before the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

In that speech, Bush showered Israel with praise, strongly reiterated its right to defend itself and only gently urged leaders to make the hard choices necessary, without mention of concrete steps. He did not mention the Palestinians' plight; he spoke of them only in one sentence saying that Israel's 120th anniversary - in 2068 - would see it neighboring an independent Palestinian state.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Bush directly about his concerns with the Knesset speech when the two met on Saturday at the Egyptian resort, according to Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.

"We said that it was disappointing, and a missed opportunity, because you
[Bush] could have said that the Palestinian people should have their freedom and independence in order to achieve peace in the entire area," he said.

Erekat said Bush responded in the private meeting by saying he was the first American president to endorse an independent Palestinian state and that he would spare no efforts to achieve the goal.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Sunday
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are privately discussing a peace agreement and the talks should intensify in the next several months.

"I do know how seriously they are discussing all of the key issues," Rice told reporters aboard Air Force One as she returned from the Middle East trip with Bush. "I think you're going to see them intensifying those
discussions over the next several months."

Bush says 'committed' to Israel-Palestinian peace deal by year's end
On Saturday, in efforts to reassure Palestinians wary of his dedication to their side in the Mideast peace dispute, Bush said he was "absolutely committed" to getting an Israeli-Palestinian accord by the end of the year.

"It breaks my heart to see the vast potential of the Palestinian people, really, wasted," Bush said at the side of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He spoke of a peace deal after the two leaders met in the president's villa at the Red Sea beach resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Bush and Abbas met for nearly an hour before speaking briefly to reporters. Then they returned for a private dinner.

The talks were a follow-up to Bush's celebratory two-day stay earlier this week in Israel for its 60th anniversary. His emotional comments about Palestinian suffering were his effort to counter the impression in the Arab world that he tilts too far toward Israel and its concerns.

In a much-anticipated speech Thursday to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, Bush showered Israel with praise, strongly reiterated its right to defend itself and only gently urged leaders to make the hard choices necessary, without mentioning concrete steps.

By contrast, he did not visit the Palestinian territories nor mention the Palestinians' plight. He spoke of them only in one sentence saying that Israel's 120th anniversary - in 2068 - would see it neighboring an independent Palestinian state.

Bush's arrival in Egypt was met with stinging criticism by the country's state-owned newspapers, which are run by government-appointed managers. But Abbas glowingly praised Bush's dedication to the talks, launched between the two sides in November for the first time in seven years, and the goal of state defined for Palestinians by the end of Bush's term.

"We know very well that you personally, as well as your administration, are committed to reach peace before the end of 2008," Abbas said. "We are working very seriously and very aggressively with the hope that we will be able to achieve this objective."

The other topic that dominated their talks, Bush said, was the recent turmoil in Lebanon, perceived by the United States and many in the Sunni Arab world as a demonstration of Shiite-controlled Iran's quest for more influence in the region.


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  • Was Bush's Knesset speech a swipe at Obama?
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      1.   Bush should be "committed" alright ... 05:03  |  spyguy 18/05/08
      2.   The da Vinci Code 05:15  |  Shimon Cleopas 18/05/08
      3.   WE BELIEVE IN BUSH AND HIS COMMITMEN 06:34  |  indrajaya 18/05/08
      4.   Can the Israelis accept a ?Palestinian state? ? 08:23  |  Jean Van Daem 18/05/08
      5.   Far too little, far too late 08:24  |  Palestinian Brit 18/05/08
      6.   lol "bush says" ...does anyone give a F ?nope 09:52  |  terrorist jews 18/05/08
      7.   Speaking of "spoilers" 09:53  |  Natallie Durson 18/05/08
      8.   "Broken Hearted" over illegal settlements 10:14  |  Ho 18/05/08
      9.   But don`t you dare elect governments we don`t like 10:21  |  Clickfool 18/05/08
      10.   But don`t you dare elect governments we don`t like 10:21  |  Clickfool 18/05/08
      11.   That photograph 10:40  |  Clickfool 18/05/08
      12.   #7, Durson, stop speechifying 10:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/05/08
      13.   Armchair critics continue gabfest 10:59  |  Star of David 18/05/08
      14.   go to hell mr. bush, get out of there 11:12  |  Omar 18/05/08
      15.   Advice for Star of David # 13 11:44  |  Clickfool 18/05/08
      16.   Hatred of US a Pillar of PA Ideology 12:00  |  Jean Van Daem 18/05/08
      17.   # 12 - Kohn 12:07  |  Natallie Durson 18/05/08
      18.   And yet more unoriginal thought from Jean van Daem # 16 12:38  |  Clickfool 18/05/08
      19.   Democratic Middle East ? 12:39  |  Chris 18/05/08
      20.   Advice for Cluck Fool 12:41  |  Star of David 18/05/08
      21.   Durson- you suck 12:55  |  Star of David 18/05/08
      22.   Bush says he`s hopeful for democratic reform in Middle East 13:23  |  yazan badran 18/05/08
      23.   Been there,Didnt do That. 13:34  |  Ronnie Wolman 18/05/08
      24.   #17, Furson, your comment 13:41  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/05/08
      25.   Worth Your Time 14:00  |  Spidey 18/05/08
      26.   natallie`s paratruth 14:08  |  odlesj 18/05/08
      27.   democracy and the lamb and wolf 14:32  |  Republican 18/05/08
      28.   Mr. Bush...Look who you are in bed with... 14:37  |  ali 18/05/08
      29.   Democracy and Freedom???? 14:42  |  Joe 18/05/08
      30.   I know it`s got nothing to do with the story.. 14:42  |  H 18/05/08
      31.   It`s not about Bush 15:39  |  Sam 18/05/08
      32.   Israel as a model democracy NO, Mr. Bush 15:44  |  El-Birawi 18/05/08
      33.   Democratic Reform 15:50  |  Mary 18/05/08
      34.   Bush, there is an democratic elected government in the Arab world 16:14  |  Mark B. 18/05/08
      35.   BUSH PUSHING ANTI-ISRAEL AGENDA OF STATE DEPT ARABISTS 16:16  |  Joel Stein 18/05/08
      36.   El- Birawi:Sounds a lot like any Arab country to me 16:27  |  Ronnie Wolman 18/05/08
      37.   so much for furson`s predictionsthat bus h is mifted with Israel 16:49  |  Max 18/05/08
      38.   GOOD POINT MR. PRESIDENT, SO LET`S END JEWISH APARTHIED. 17:03  |  Jared 18/05/08
      39.   Cipora Julianna Kohn.to Natallie Durson #12 17:06  |  emad 18/05/08
      40.   #17 `The Iraqis were offered freedom` Cipor Julianna kohn 17:16  |  emad 18/05/08
      41.   #24 `The Iraqis were offered freedom` Cipor Julianna kohn 18:31  |  emad 18/05/08
      42.   Jordan is Palestine state 18:43  |  Jordanian 18/05/08
      43.   TO # 4 IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO GO CLAIM YUR RIGHTS FROM JORDAN 18:51  |  JORDANIAN 18/05/08
      44.   #24 `The Iraqis were offered freedom` Cipor Julianna kohn 19:06  |  emad 18/05/08
      45.   Bush woefully doesn`t understand the Arab world. 19:48  |  Fortuna Benmayor 18/05/08
      46.   the moron talks about democracy...? 19:51  |  ravi 18/05/08
      47.   Bush 20:00  |  P. J. Casey 18/05/08
      48.   atNatallie Durson 17# You speak about `unnecessary Iraq war`?Wow 20:06  |  Marco 18/05/08
      49.   He won`t like it when it happens 20:19  |  Mark Lincoln 18/05/08
      50.   Why do Palis always like to elect criminal terrorists to be their 20:23  |  Jodan is Palestine 18/05/08
      51.   Palestinian Brit # 5`s new approach 20:36  |  utagawa 18/05/08
      52.   Democracy and Islam 20:56  |  utagawa 18/05/08
      53.   bUSH AND iSRAELI PROPOSALS ARE RACIST 21:54  |  GOLYTELY 18/05/08
      54.   How can be peace without recognition of Palestinian rights? 21:55  |  Rick 18/05/08
      55.   America and Israel are fleacing Palestinians. What peace? 21:56  |  John 18/05/08
      56.   Two fags scheming around Palestinian peasants! 21:57  |  Fred 18/05/08
      57.   El Birawi and his imaginings 22:08  |  Iz Ray Leigh 18/05/08
      58.   Ronnie, did I mention an Arab country as a model? 22:24  |  El-Birawi 18/05/08
      59.   say thank you to democracy that lets you write against it daily 22:37  |  Maccabi 18/05/08
      60.   utagawa - You are wrong 00:17  |  Bookworm 19/05/08
      61.   El-Birawi- Israel is a model to th world -Thank U Bush 00:41  |  Jim - USA 19/05/08
      62.   Capitalism, U.S. imperialism, subordination, puppet governments. 01:01  |  Maureen Ann 19/05/08
      63.   I don`t trust that guy for a dime 01:04  |  Edith 19/05/08
      64.   El-Birawi: Democracy Hypocracy 01:19  |  Ronnie Wolman 19/05/08
      65.   Democracy in the USA ...please 01:57  |  jc 19/05/08
      66.   Jordan is Palestine is the final solution. 04:04  |  Akram Zekaria 19/05/08
      67.   bush stop trying to bring democracy to the region 04:22  |  zionist forever 19/05/08
      68.   The Middle East is hopeful for a democratic reform in the US 04:27  |  Aounist