President Bush Pushes for Palestinian Solution at Opening Of World Economic Forum On The Middle East

Contact: Fon Mathuros, Communications Department, World Economic Forum, E-mail: fmathuro@weforum.org,
Mobile: Egypt - +20 (0)1 8948 8879,  International - +41 (0) 79 201 0211

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, 18 May 2008 – Speaking at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East, US President George W. Bush has emphatically reaffirmed his determination to push for an independent Palestinian state by the end of the year. “I strongly support a two-state solution,” he said, adding that by this he means a “democratic Palestine based on law and justice that will live in peace and security alongside a democratic Israel.” More than 1,500 participants, including 12 heads of state/government, ministers, leading business figures, leaders from civil society and the media from over 60 countries are taking part in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East from 18 to 20 May.

President Bush said that last year’s conference in Annapolis had described what the Palestinian state would look like. “I firmly believe,” he said, “ that with leadership and courage we can reach that peace agreement this year.”

Focusing on the recent unrest in Lebanon, Bush called for support of Lebanon’s democracy and added that this entails “opposing Hezbollah terrorists funded by Iran.” He stressed that “every peaceful nation in the region has an interest in opposing Iran’s nuclear weapon’s ambitions.”

Egyptian President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak noted in his opening address that the “international atmosphere has not supported Middle East peace effectively.” Nevertheless, President Mubarak stressed that recent meetings in Cairo had gone well, and everyone was now waiting for Israel’s response. Peace in the Middle East is connected to world peace, he said. “The future starts with this moment.”

Jordan’s H.M. King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, speaking at the opening session, declared that after years of delay that progress is possible in the Middle East process. “How much further ahead we would be if extremists forces had not had this issue to manipulate;” he said.

The Co-Chairs of the meeting are: Khalid Abdulla-Janahi, Chairman, Ithmaar Bank, Bahrain; Mohammed Alshaya, Chairman, Alshaya Group, Kuwait; H.R.H. The Duke of York, UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment; Yuriko Koike, Member of the House of Representatives, National Diet of Japan; Paul Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer, TransFair, USA; Jimmy Wales, Founder and Chair Emeritus, Wikia, USA.
Further information about the event, click here: http://www.weforum.org/middleeast
Photos can be downloaded here: http://www.pbase.com/forumweb/middleeast08

__________________________________________________________________
 
The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests (http://www.weforum.org).