Bush plans Middle East trip

BUSH: The US President is to make a 9 day tour of the Middle East in the new year (Getty Images).

US President George W Bush is to make a new year visit to Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and the West Bank, the White House announced yesterday.

The trip, planned to take place between January 8-16, follows the US Middle East conference in Annapolis last month which sought to broker a peace deal between Israel and Palestine. It would “reaffirm the enduring commitment of the US to the security of our allies in the Middle East, especially with the Gulf nations, and our close work with them to combat terrorism and extremism, promote freedom, and seek peace and prosperity in the region” the White House said in a statement.

The President will meet separately with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, although there will be no three-way meeting, according to White House press secretary Dana Perino.

He will then travel to Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, meeting with Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, King Hamad bin Issa Al-Khalifa, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, King Abdullah bin Abd Al-Aziz and President Hosni Mubarak, respectively.

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