Bush, UAE President discuss Mideast Peace
'Pakistan Times' Wire Service

WASHINGTON: US President George W. Bush on Wednesday courted United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan's support for his new Middle East plan, the White House said.

The US president telephoned Khalifa "to talk about the situation in the Middle East and President Khalifa's current travel in the Middle East and Europe," spokesman Tony Snow told reporters.

Bush "reviewed key points made in his speech on Monday and discussed the need to provide strong support for (Palestinian) President (Mahmud) Abbas and Prime Minister (Salam) Fayyad," said Snow.

"The president also congratulated president Khalifa on the steady and generous support the UAE has given the Palestinian Authority," the spokesman said.

The telephone call came after Bush, fresh from calling for an international conference aimed at restarting stalled Middle East peace talks, telephoned leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt Monday to urge them to support Abbas.●