20 May 2003
Bush Talks with Palestinian and Israeli Prime Ministers
(In separate phone calls May 20 president urges steps toward peace)
(920)
By Wendy S. Ross
Washington File White House Correspondent
Washington -- President Bush began his day May 20 by placing a phone
call to new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas -- the first time
he has spoken to him, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told
reporters.
The two had "friendly and hopeful" discussions, Fleischer said.
Asked why Bush decided to make this phone call at this time, Fleischer
said "it was a combination of the fact that the president was looking
forward to talking to him because he sees him as a hopeful leader in
the Palestinian people," and "it's also the timing of the recent
violence. The president thought it might be constructive to have this
conversation with the Palestinian prime minister," who also is known
as Abu Mazen.
President Bush "views Abu Mazen as a new leader," Fleischer said. "He
has just come into office," and the new terrorist attacks are threats
to him.
"He's not the first new leader in the world to be greeted with
terrorist attacks. Unfortunately, these terrorist attacks took Israeli
lives, but they represent a threat to the Palestinian people, as
well," Fleischer said, referring to the recent suicide bombings in
Israel that have killed a reported 12 Israelis and wounded many more.
In their phone conversation, Bush "reiterated his commitment" to his
vision of a Palestinian state and an Israeli state living side by side
in peace and in security, Fleischer said.
The President "reiterated the absolute need for all parties to fight
terror," stressed the need for all parties to take concrete steps, and
called for cooperative efforts between all Arab parties and Israel to
create the conditions for peace and security in the Middle East,
Fleischer said.
Bush reiterated his commitment to the security of the state of Israel
and said he looked forward to a future meeting with the new
Palestinian prime minister, Fleischer said.
The Palestinian prime minister told Bush that "he was committed to
reform, to peace, and to ending all acts of terror, and he thanked
President Bush for the call," Fleischer said.
Bush also spoke by phone later in the day May 20 with Israel's Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon and informed him of his phone call with Abu
Mazen, Fleischer reported. Bush told Sharon "that he believes Abu
Mazen is a reformer who will work for peace," Fleischer said.
Bush also offered his condolences to the people of Israel following
the recent homicide bombings there and told Sharon he understands why
the Israeli prime minister postponed his scheduled May 20 visit to
Washington. Bush said he looks forward to a rescheduled meeting with
the prime minister, Fleischer reported.
Bush also talked with Sharon about the importance of finding a way to
peace in the Middle East through the U.S.-led international "road map"
for peace, "so that Abu Mazen can be successful," the press secretary
said.
Bush made clear to the Israeli prime minister that the United States
and Bush himself "are committed to the security of Israel."
Prime Minister Sharon "thanked President Bush for his courage and his
leadership," Fleischer said.
Bush "has a long-term view of how to bring peace to the Middle East.
He will not be deterred by the current terrorist bombings," Fleischer
said. "He understands it will present a slowdown, a delay in this
meeting, a bump on the road, but it will not deter him, because he
thinks there is no other choice," the press secretary said.
"Clearly, the first parties that are responsible are the Israelis and
the Palestinians. They have to be the ones to work genuinely with each
other, because that's where peace will be found. The United States'
role is to lean very forward into that process to help make it happen,
and that's what the president is doing."
Bush, Fleischer reiterated, thinks that Abu Mazen is "a reformer and
somebody who will work for peace. He also thinks Ariel Sharon will
work for peace. The key is to bring the two together so that peace can
be achieved, despite the terrorist attacks.
"And this is why it's so important to stop the terrorist attacks,
because they represent the greatest threat to Israeli security and to
the prospects for peace," Fleischer said, noting that Sharon and Abu
Mazen held a meeting over the weekend, despite the violence.
Asked about President Bush's personal involvement in the peace
process, Fleischer said "if it hadn't been for the president's
personal involvement there would not be a reformist-minded Palestinian
prime minister today. There would still be a terrorist-minded leader
of the Palestinian people. So that's a very helpful change that has
taken place on the ground in the Palestinian institutions. More has to
come, more needs to follow. All parties have responsibilities and the
recent terrorist violence has, unfortunately, set back the timing of
the meeting [between Bush and Sharon], but it has not set back the
cause of peace."
President Bush, Fleischer added, "has hopes that peace can be
accomplished because, one, Israel is a democracy and democracies yearn
for peace. And, two, because Abu Mazen is a reformer, and the
Palestinian people deserve a better life. That's what the president
sees, and that's how he hopes it will happen. He's a realist, but he's
determined to do everything in his power to make it happen."
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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