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Bush to pursue W. Asia peace

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington JULY 19. The President, George W. Bush, has said that the United States refuses to be discouraged by the Palestinian suicide attacks on Israel and has questioned the timing of such attacks. "I am beginning to think that every time we have a high level meeting, something happens that's not coincidental. I think the enemies of peace try to send signals, try to derail peace and try to discourage us'', Mr. Bush remarked, prior to meeting the Foreign Ministers from Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. "One of things I'm going to tell the leaders today is we refuse to be discouraged. We're going to continue to work for peace, to push hard for peace''.

The Arab Foreign Ministers, who met Mr. Bush on Thursday, have come away with a feeling that the President is not only committed to a Palestinian state but also that the U.S. will be leaning on Israel over its responsibilities. "We were particularly pleased and happy that he told us that peace would only come if all sides take their responsibilities seriously'', the Saudi Minister, Prince Saud al Faisal, remarked. Prior to the White House meeting, Mr. Bush told reporters, "Our vision for peace understands that all parties have responsibilities. The United States has a responsibility...The Israelis have a responsibility. The Palestinians have a responsibility''.

The Ministers from the three politically powerful Arab states came to Washington disappointed that the Bush administration was looking to the Palestinians for every concession; at the same time expecting little to nothing from Israel; or at the best putting forth conditionalities for the response of the Jewish state.

The Foreign Minister of Egypt made no bones of his disappointment and argued that Washington's approach was not balanced and needed change."Everything the Palestinians have to do is upfront and everything the Israelis have to do is delayed and conditional on the will of the Israeli Government. I don't think this is a good formula'', Mr. Ahmad Maher said.

The Ministers were also disappointed that the Bush administration's West Asia plan was security-centric and did not have enough political components. That appeared to be set right by the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, who conveyed to the visitors that Washington will be working "as hard as possible'' for the realisation of a Palestinian state within three years.

Further, Gen. Powell also addressed the heavy emphasis on security related issues. "We also focussed on the third track-— the need for clear understanding among all parties that only a political solution will bring an end to this tragic situation''.

Senior officials are saying that Mr. Bush and the Arab Ministers had a "very good meeting'', without getting into details or specifics.

Mr. Bush is said to have asked the leaders to continue to work with his "point man'' — Gen. Powell — on various issues, including the evolving Palestinian constitution and the election of a new Parliament.

The U.S. is at odds with its European and Arab allies on the future of the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, with many pointing out to the Bush administration the contradiction in insisting on democracy and at the same time telling Palestinian people that Mr. Arafat cannot be their leader. There was apparently no detailed discussion on Mr. Arafat at the Oval Office meeting on Thursday.

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