U.S. President George W. Bush called in a brief speech at the
White House on Wednesday for international support to the
Palestine-Israel peace process.
Standing side by side with Israeli Prime Minister Edhud Olmert
and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the Rose Garden, Bush also
assured the U.S. vigorous effort to help achieve a Middle East
peace agreement.
"One thing I've assured both gentlemen is that the United States
will be actively engaged in the process, that we will use our power
to help you as you come up with the necessary decisions to lay out
a Palestinian state that will live side by side in peace with
Israel," Bush said.
The president made the remarks following the one-day Middle East
peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, where Israeli and
Palestinian leaders agreed to resume peace negotiations.
Bush applauded the Palestinian-Israeli joint document as "a
hopeful beginning," but he noted that "no matter how important
yesterday was, it's not nearly as important as tomorrow and the
days beyond."
He also expressed his appreciation towards Olmert and Abbas for
their commitment to working hard to achieve peace.
"I appreciate your courage and leadership. It's an honor to call
you friends. And it's an honor to have watched you yesterday as you
laid out your respective visions for something we all want," he
said.
One day after vowing to try to forge a treaty by the end of 2008
at the Annapolis conference, Israeli Prime Minister Edhud Olmert
were invited by Bush to the White House for the ceremonial
resumption of the first formal peace talks in seven years.
Before the Rose Garden send-off speech, Bush separately met with
Olmert and Abbas again at the White House. The two Middle Eastern
leaders will continue with a meeting on Dec. 12 in Jerusalem.
Despite deep international doubts about the post-Annapolis
prospects for the Palestine-Israel peace process by January 2009
when Bush's presidency expires, the White House still highlighted
the conference's achievement.
"It was a successful conference," said Bush spokeswoman Dana
Perino, adding "the follow-through is really important, and it's
going to take a lot of effort and time and commitment in order to
keep it going."
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also insisted during an
interview with ABC television on Wednesday that the peace effort
faced a window of opportunity as Arab states resume their support
for a drive to end the six-decade conflict.
"I think in the region you're seeing that the Arab states that
have not been as active in the peace process in the past were there
in the room, including Saudi Arabia. Clearly, there are some
reasons for hope and for optimism," Rice said.
(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2007)
