Bush Rejects Stronger Role In Mideast
President Bush rebuffed appeals from visiting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak yesterday for heightened U.S. involvement in calming Middle East violence, repeating the long-standing American position that it is the Palestinians who must first clamp down on militant activities. While praising Egypt's traditional role in Middle East peacemaking, Bush also politely dismissed Mubarak's offer to host a summit between Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as secondary to the immediate task of stemming the bloodshed. Bush took a similar view of a proposal forwarded by another key Arab leader, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, under which Arab countries would open normal relations with Israel in return for a full Israeli withdrawal from land occupied since the 1967 war. Bush welcomed the "vision for a more peaceful tomorrow" while making clear that he has other priorities for today. Submitted for your covenant with many files.