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Bush visits Gulf with peace plan Bush visits US troops in Kuwait
(about 1 hour later)
US President George W Bush has arrived in Kuwait as part of a tour of Gulf states that is likely to focus on Mid-East peace and containing Iran. US President George W Bush is meeting some of the 15,000 American troops based in Kuwait, as the focus of his Middle East tour turns to Iraq.
After rounding off his first trip as president to Israel and the West Bank, he arrived in Kuwait City for talks with the Emir, Sheikh Sabah. Earlier Mr Bush was briefed by the commander of US forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus.
He will also address some of the 15,000 US soldiers based in Kuwait, and meet the commander of the US forces in Iraq. He met Kuwait's Emir, Sheikh Sabah, on Friday after two days of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
He will continue to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Correspondents say he is trying to persuade some of his key Arab allies to support his peace initiative.
'Mission Impossible'
Mr Bush met Gen Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador in Iraq, at a command centre at the US base at Arifjan, where an intelligence team monitors developments on the ground in Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
Gen Petraeus and Mr Crocker were expected to brief the president on the improving security situation in Iraq. There's a good chance for peace and I want to help you George W Bush Call for Palestinian freedomMiddle East tour diary
After rounding off his first trip as president to Israel and the West Bank, Mr Bush held talks with Sheikh Sabah, in Kuwait city.
The US president will continue to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
His aim is to encourage them to back Mahmoud Abbas as the Palestinian president negotiates with the Israelis.His aim is to encourage them to back Mahmoud Abbas as the Palestinian president negotiates with the Israelis.
This is phase two of what many regard as Mission Impossible, the BBC's Matthew Price reports from Kuwait City. This is phase two of what many regard as "mission impossible", the BBC's Matthew Price reports from Kuwait City.
There's a good chance for peace and I want to help you George W Bush Call for Palestinian freedomMiddle East tour diary
Mr Bush hopes to encourage states like Kuwait to start a process of reaching out to Israel but even before the president landed, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was telling journalists not to expect any breakthrough.Mr Bush hopes to encourage states like Kuwait to start a process of reaching out to Israel but even before the president landed, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was telling journalists not to expect any breakthrough.
One problem, our correspondent notes, is that what concerns Gulf states like Kuwait the most is not the Israeli-Palestinian issue, but Iran and Washington's intentions. One problem, our correspondent notes, is that what concerns Gulf states like Kuwait the most is not the Israeli-Palestinian issue, but Iran and Washington's intentions towards it.
Gulf leaders will be telling Mr Bush they want the stand-off resolved peacefully, not through military means, our correspondent says.Gulf leaders will be telling Mr Bush they want the stand-off resolved peacefully, not through military means, our correspondent says.
Strong statementStrong statement
During his three-day tour of Israel and the West Bank, Mr Bush made what analysts described as some of the strongest statements to date on the need for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.During his three-day tour of Israel and the West Bank, Mr Bush made what analysts described as some of the strongest statements to date on the need for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Calling for an end to the Israeli occupation of land seized in 1967, he said he believed a peace deal could be signed by the end of this year, Israel's 60th anniversary, before he leaves office in 2009.Calling for an end to the Israeli occupation of land seized in 1967, he said he believed a peace deal could be signed by the end of this year, Israel's 60th anniversary, before he leaves office in 2009.
"There's a good chance for peace and I want to help you," Mr Bush was quoted by AP news agency as telling Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres at Tel Aviv airport as he left on Friday."There's a good chance for peace and I want to help you," Mr Bush was quoted by AP news agency as telling Israeli PM Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres at Tel Aviv airport as he left on Friday.
Mr Bush had visited a number of Christian sites, including the Sea of Galilee and the Church of the Beatitudes and Capernaum.Mr Bush had visited a number of Christian sites, including the Sea of Galilee and the Church of the Beatitudes and Capernaum.
He also rekindled an eternal flame and laid a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, which he first visited in 1998 as governor of Texas.He also rekindled an eternal flame and laid a wreath at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, which he first visited in 1998 as governor of Texas.
Wearing a black skullcap, he said the museum was a "sobering reminder that evil exists and a call that when we find evil we must resist it".Wearing a black skullcap, he said the museum was a "sobering reminder that evil exists and a call that when we find evil we must resist it".