Bush tries to breathe life into Mideast peace

US President George W

US President George W. Bush headed into a landmark Middle East peace summit in Jordan today with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers after getting welcome backing from Arab leaders for his "road map" yesterday.

Mr Bush's goal is to put the internationally backed plan - the most ambitious Middle East peace effort in more than two years - into motion with initial confidence-building steps that carry heavy political risks for Mr Ariel Sharon and Mr Mahmoud Abbas.

Mr Sharon plans to voice support at today's summit for the creation of an interim, demilitarised Palestinian state.

"Sharon's statement in Aqaba will address the possibility of the establishment of a Palestinian state with temporary borders, if conditions permit," his office said in a statement released to reporters.

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"The prime minister's office states that the Palestinian state will be, among other things, completely demilitarised, and this nation will be the home of the Palestinian diaspora and Palestinian refugees will not be allowed into Israeli territory," said the statement, released after Mr Sharon met US President George W. Bush in the Jordanian port of Aqaba.

Palestinians have called for a right of return of some fourmillion Palestinians - refugees from Israeli-Arab wars andtheir descendants - to what is now Israel.

Israel has said such an influx would represent demographicsuicide for the Jewish state.

Under the "road map" peace plan, an interim Palestinian state is to be established by the end of 2003 and a state with permanent borders by 2005.

Aides to Mr Abbas said the new Palestinian prime minister would make a pledge to halt violence by militants in a 32-month-old uprising for independence.

Soon after arriving in the Red Sea port of Aqaba from a summit yesterday with five Arab leaders in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Mr Bush held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah.

He will then hold separate sessions with Mr Sharon, who flew in by helicopter, and Mr Abbas before a three-way meeting at a royal palace among palm trees on the Gulf of Aqaba.

Police lined the road from the airport to the palace as Mr Bush's armoured limousine swept past and entered the compound.

"The president believes that Prime Minister Abbas is genuine in his commitment to working for peace," a White House spokesman said.

"We already believed that about Prime Minister Sharon...The problem is, this is the Middle East and progress can often be derailed," he said. "Nevertheless, it's a good beginning."

Mr Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, is taking centre stage in the showcase summits in place of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, shunned by the United States and Israel over his alleged support of violence during the uprising.

Mr Arafat, who has denied the allegations, told the Israeli newspaper Maarivon today that he hoped the Aqaba summit would lead to peace.

Agencies