Middel East Bush Wants Measurable Concrete Action

Bush to Press for "Measurable, Concrete Action" on Mideast Peace

(White House Report, May 29: Middle East, China)

The purpose of President Bush's planned June 4 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas is to "take advantage of this moment" and "play a very helpful role in bringing Israelis and Palestinians together, to help them take concrete steps to implement the roadmap toward peace," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters May 29.

Fleischer said Bush hopes the meeting will produce "a willingness of the Israelis and the Palestinians to work together to implement the roadmap -- meaning Palestinians taking measurable, concrete actions to dismantle terrorism, the Israelis taking measurable, concrete actions to help improve the humanity -- the conditions of the Palestinian people, and a reaffirmation by both parties toward the vision of a two-state solution, as the roadmap lays out."

"That's why he's going, to look the leaders of the Israelis in the eye and to look the leaders of the Palestinians in the eye, and say to them, 'you must make progress,'" Fleischer said. "'You must implement the roadmap. You must carry out our concrete obligations, the Palestinians on security, the Israelis on humane treatment of Palestinians, and a reminder that the vision is a two-state solution.'"

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