Bush to spend eight days In Middle East.

Saudi Arabia News.Net

Wednesday 19th December, 2007

The White House says President George W. Bush will spend eight days in the Middle East in January.

The president will visit 7 Mideast countries from January 8 to 16. It will be Mr. Bush's first visit as president to Israel and the West Bank.

The president will also visit Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said the president will be seeking to build on the recent U.S. sponsored peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.

'This visit will follow up on the progress made in Annapolis in helping Israelis and Palestinians to advance their efforts toward peace and achievement of the president's vision of two democratic states living side by side in peace and security as well as to encourage Israeli and Arab reconciliation,' she said.

'The meetings with leaders will allow for discussions of developments in Iraq, the challenges presented by Iran, regional security, economic ties, and relations between the United States and those close allies,' she added.

'The President has said that there are going to be good meetings and bad meetings, and the important thing is for the leaders to keep their eye on the big picture, and to work with their staffs and trust their staffs, who are going to work out these details. And the President can help facilitate those discussions. I do not anticipate, although we can let you know as we get closer, whether there would be detailed discussions about a concession on one side or the other.'

Asked if Mr. Bush would be meeting with the people that control Gaza, Hamas, Perino said, 'I think the President wants to deal with the elected leader of all the Palestinians, which is Abu Mazen and Prime Minister Fayyad. So he is going to focus on talking with them. Hamas is a terrorist organization. He is not going to be talking with them.'

Perino was questioned about new Israeli settlement plans for 300 homes. She pointed to comments by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Paris on Tuesday. 'She has said that it's important for both sides to remember that right now in the negotiations is not a time to be talking about specifics, outcomes that would be decided towards the end of the negotiating process. So she's had those discussions.'

Asked about Israeli air strikes that killed thirteen militants early this week Perino said Israel had a right to defend itself. 'Israel has a right to live in a country free from terrorism. So do we; so does every nation,' she said.

A reporter interjected, 'So do the Palestinians.'

Perino replied, 'And terrorist attacks have been ongoing for many years, and Israel has a right to defend itself.'

'Both borders have been closed,' the interjecting reporter responded, but was passed over as Perino pointed to another questioner.