UPDATE: Bush Tells Olmert Mideast Peace Process Still Alive
WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- U.S. President George W. Bush, meeting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, gave assurances Monday that the drive for peace in the Middle East remains alive, as both men prepare to leave office.
"We strongly believe that Israel will benefit by having a Palestinian state, a democracy on its border that works for peace," Bush told Olmert before their meeting in the Oval Office. "I believe that vision is alive."
Monday's meeting comes nearly a year after the Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Md., which failed to ignite serious progress. The White House has long hoped to reach a deal before the end of Bush's presidency, a target that won't be met.
"It's not easy to try to change the paradigm and I understand that, but one thing's for certain, you kept your word," Bush said.
For his part, Olmert thanked Bush for setting the Annapolis process in motion, saying that history will remember the president fondly for his contributions to the safety and security of people in the Middle East.
-By Henry J. Pulizzi, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9256; henry.pulizzi@dowjones.com
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 24, 2008 18:33 ET (23:33 GMT)
Publié le 25 novembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones
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