Rice to discuss "best ways" to resolve Middle East crisis
23/7/2006 10:51
US President George W. Bush said yestderday that he has directed Secretary
of State Rice to travel to the Middle East to discuss the "best ways" to resolve
the crisis between Israel and Lebanon with leaders in the region.
In his
weekly radio address, Bush said Rice would make it clear in her trip to the
region that "resolving the crisis demands confronting the terrorist group that
launched the attacks and the nations that support it."
Rice was scheduled to
leave for the Middle East after meeting with Bush and Saudi officials at the
White House on Sunday.
She was expected to meet with Israeli and Palestinian
leaders in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and attend a meeting in Rome, Italy,
with representatives of European and moderate Arab governments.
Bush repeated
his position that the crisis was triggered by the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers
by Hezbollah, which the United States has designated as a terrorist group, and
the launch of rockets against Israeli cities.
He said Israel had "the right
to defend their people from terrorist attack, and to take the necessary action
to prevent those attacks."
In his radio address, Bush also accused Syria as a
"primary sponsor" of Hezbollah and of helping provide Hezbollah with shipments
of Iranian made weapons.
Xinhua
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