Bush backs new Palestinian prime minister
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush described the Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Abu Mazen as "a man dedicated to peace" and said he is likely to receive an invitation soon to visit the White House -- one never extended to Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat.
The president's remarks -- made Thursday in an interview with NBC News scheduled to air Friday -- were a strong endorsement of Abu Mazen, who has vowed to reform the Palestinian Authority. His real name is Mahmoud Abbas, though he is widely known and referred to by the honorific Abu Mazen.
After a heated struggle over the makeup of a Palestinian government, Abu Mazen and Arafat reached an agreement Wednesday for the former to assume the post of prime minister. (Full story)
Abu Mazen then called for a special session of the Palestinian Legislative Council to confirm a new Cabinet within a week.
He promised to create a government that will improve the lives of Palestinians and seek an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.
The United States has said it will present a "road map" for peace, but only after a Palestinian prime minister is in place with real powers. That plan could be released once Abu Mazen's government is confirmed.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that the road map "lays out the obligations and responsibilities" of both Israelis and Palestinians for moving forward toward peace in the Middle East.
"But let's be candid. Let's be very open and candid," Powell told the Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. "Unless terrorism and violence stops, then it's almost impossible to get going on any process toward peace."
In a sign of the difficulty that lies ahead, authorities said a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up Thursday outside a train station in Israel, killing an Israeli security guard and wounding 13 others. (Full story)
Powell said he hopes Abu Mazen "will work hard to end the violence, end the terrorism -- and that will create conditions that will allow us to go forward."
Asked if Arafat was "irrelevant" now, Powell told the Lebanese channel: "It is well known that we do not believe that Mr. Arafat has shown the kind of leadership that is needed to take us through this crisis. He has missed opportunities over the years."
