Reuters
Blair, Bush to Meet as Middle East Issues Loom
Date: Sat, Nov 06, 2004
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites), who has pushed for progress on Middle East peace talks and is one of the United States' closest allies, will meet with President Bush (news - web sites) next week, the White House said on Saturday.
The announcement that the two leaders would meet Thursday and Friday in Washington comes as Palestinian President Yasser Arafat (news - web sites), who Bush has seen an obstacle to peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, lay extremely ill in France.
The White House has distanced itself from Arafat but Bush promised earlier this week that he would try to revive peace talks and work toward the goal of a Palestinian state during his second four years in office.
Bush said on Thursday he hoped "we will make good progress" in that quest for peace between the two sides. Arafat has not named a successor but some of his powers have been turned over to his prime minister.
Bush also pledged earlier this week to reach out to allies despite past differences.
After Bush's victory, Blair said revitalizing the Middle East peace process was "the single most pressing political challenge in our world today." The British leader was Bush's biggest foreign backer for the Iraqi war.
Blair would be the first foreign leader to visit Bush after he won the close presidential race on Nov. 2. The two will meet at the White House and then hold a joint press conference on Friday, the White House said.
SOURCE
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