Arab ministers encouraged by Bush stance on Mideast

JORDAN'S foreign minister yesterday credited President George Bush with breaking new and encouraging ground in his Mideast diplomacy.

More than five times during a 30-minute White House meeting with three Arab foreign ministers the president said he was committed to a Palestinian state within three years, Marwan Muasher said.

"The solid commitment to three years is new," said Muasher.

Clearly pleased with the session, as the two other Arab ministers said they were, Muasher said Bush also called for a halt to construction of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, even before the issue was raised by them.

Bush is the first US president to publicly support a Palestinian state. He suggested it be a provisional one. However, Muasher said, that is unacceptable and Bush is now talking in terms of a permanent state.

And, Muasher said, "today the United States is asking for the end of occupation and a Palestinian state within three years, and that is different".

Apart from their dispute over Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Bush administration and the leaders of Arab governments are finding more common ground in their approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Bush says he will not let terror attacks stop him from peacemaking, an approach long favoured by Arab and European governments.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan left the White House saying they were encouraged.

"Every American official that we met said Israel cannot remain in these [West Bank and Gaza] territories," said Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister.