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Bush urges Abbas to crack down on terrorPalestinian leader reportedly asks U.S. to pressure Israel
From John King
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush spoke for the first time Tuesday with new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and urged him to take steps to crack down on Palestinian terror groups, the White House said. Abbas assured the president he is committed to reform, peace and "ending all acts of terrorism," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. The 15-minute telephone conversation followed five suicide bombings in Israel and the Palestinian territories in a 48-hour period. It also came on the day that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon originally had been scheduled to visit Bush at the White House. Sharon's trip was postponed because of the bombings, and the White House said it was unlikely the Israeli leader would make it to Washington before Bush travels overseas at the end of next week on stops that include Poland, Russia and France. The string of bombings began Saturday as top Israeli and Palestinian officials met for the first time in more than two years. A senior Israeli official Monday called the attacks a "declaration of war" by militant Islamic groups against Abbas, known popularly as Abu Mazen. (Full story) During Tuesday's phone conversation, Abbas expressed his appreciation for the U.S involvement in the "road map" for peace, according to a Palestinian official. The road map, created by the United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations, lays out steps for the two sides to take, with the aim of establishing a secure Israel and independent Palestinian state by 2005. Sharon has said he wants to see some changes to the road map, while Abbas has said he has reservations but will accept it as is. Abbas asked Bush to push Israel to begin implementing the road map, a Palestinian official said. Bush promised he would do all he could to advance the plan, the Palestinian official added. Fleischer said Bush considered Tuesday's phone conversation a "friendly and hopeful" call with Abbas. Bush made clear it was imperative that all parties take steps to improve the climate for peace, including a Palestinian effort to curb violence launched from its territories. Abbas told Bush he is "committed to reforms, to peace and to ending all acts of terrorism," according to Fleischer. "The president believes Abu Mazen [Abbas] wants to do the right thing and work for peace," Fleischer said. Bush also spoke with Sharon, who said that he is determined to move forward with the peace process, but that the only way to do so is for terror to be beaten, according to the prime minister's office in Jerusalem.
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