Military

DATE=10/03/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH TERRORISM OVERNIGHTER (S ONLY)

NUMBER=2-281324

BYLINE=PAULA WOLFSON

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

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INTRO: President Bush holds separate meetings today (Thursday) at the White House with Mexican President Vicente Fox and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson reports the talks are part of an effort to forge a strong international coalition to fight terrorism.

TEXT: President Fox finished a state visit to the United States just days before the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. This trip will be brief and comparatively low-key -- an opportunity for the Mexican leader to reiterate his support for fighting terrorism.

The emir of Qatar is expected to deliver a similar message. He met with Secretary of State Colin Powell Wednesday and promised to stand by the United States.

But Sheikh Hamad added there are still some reservations among Arabs and Muslims. Secretary Powell responded by saying this fight is not anti-Arab or anti-Islam, but anti-terrorist. The objective, he stressed, is to go after suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida organization.

The emir of Qatar comes to Washington not just as the leader of his country, but as the current chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Qatar will host an O-I-C foreign minister's meeting next week, and the Bush administration is hoping the group will back its campaign against terrorism. (Signed)

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