Bush says Mideast peace needs 'tough sacrifices'
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George W. Bush (L) holds talks with Hosni Mubarak Related News
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SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AFP) — US President George W. Bush said on Sunday that peace in the Middle East was possible by the end of the year but that it needed action on both sides and "tough sacrifices".
Bush, on the final leg of a Middle East tour, also again took aim at archfoe Iran over its nuclear drive and criticised the nations of the region over the lack of political freedom and human rights.
"I firmly believe that with leadership and courage, we can reach that peace agreement this year... This is a demanding task, and it requires action on all sides," he said.
"Palestinians must fight terror and continue to build the institutions of a free and peaceful society. Israel must make tough sacrifices for peace and ease restrictions on Palestinians."
Bush wraps up his tour with a speech to the Middle East World Economic Forum and talks with regional leaders, facing Arab scepticism over the chances of Israeli-Palestinian peace with negotiations so far failing to make any visible progress.
"We said very clearly we are seeing progress," US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley told reporters, hinting the president could visit the region for a third time this year.
"But we are not at the point where the president is going to have a meeting with (Palestinian) president (Mahmud) Abbas and (Israeli) Prime Minister (Ehud) Olmert to try to declare a vision."
According to a copy of his address to the forum in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Bush called on the world to prevent Tehran from obtaining the nuclear bomb and to isolate Iran and its closest regional ally Syria.
"Every peaceful nation in the region has an interest in stopping these nations from supporting terrorism," Bush said.
"To allow the world's leading sponsor of terror to gain the world's deadliest weapon would be an unforgivable betrayal of future generations. For the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon."
OPEC member Iran has repeatedly denied seeking the atomic bomb and says its nuclear programme is aimed solely at generating energy.
Bush also called on regional states to confront Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, "which is attempting to undermine efforts at peace with continued acts of terror and violence."
Israel is mulling possible action against the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to try to end rocket attacks by Palestinian militants, although Egypt is trying to mediate a truce.
Bush urged Middle East nations to oppose the Shiite movement Hezbollah in Lebanon, where fighting this month between pro- and anti-government forces killed 65 people and pushed the country to the brink of new civil war.
"We must stand with the people of Lebanon in their struggle to build a sovereign and independent democracy. This means opposing Hezbollah terrorists, funded by Iran, who recently revealed their true intentions by taking up arms against the Lebanese people," Bush said.
Feuding Lebanese political leaders are holding talks in Qatar aimed at ending the crisis.
Bush also criticised Middle East states for their repression of democratic activists and the plight of political prisoners, in comments likely to embarrass host Egypt, which Washington has repeatedly criticised for the state of its human rights.
"The time has come for nations across the Middle East to abandon these practices, and treat their people with the dignity and respect they deserve," he said, calling for the release of political prisoners.
On Saturday, the US leader pledged to Abbas his determination to help achieve the "dream" of a Palestinian state, despite stagnant peace talks.
However, Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina laid the blame for the slow pace of negotiations squarely on Israel, saying that "what Bush dreams should be implemented on the ground."
He said despite US pledges to help broker a deal by the end of Bush's term in January, all final status issues remain unresolved, adding: "Time is running out."
Bush began his tour in Israel where he addressed parliament as the Jewish nation marked the 60th anniversary of its founding, sparking Arab anger over his perceived bias towards Israel.
The WEF meeting, dubbed the Davos of the Middle East, will bring together 1,500 people, including heads of state, business leaders and ministers from 55 countries, under the theme "learning from the future."
Source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQKpBe-AoMDWsmux3jI5PZMOJ6eg
