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U.S. President George W. Bush met Monday with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PA Prime Minister Salam Fayad in New York, and promised that the United States would be a strong partner in establishing an independent state for Palestinians."I believe that the vision of two states side by side in peace is achievable," Bush told reporters during a joint press conference with Abbas after the hour-long meeting.Bush did not, however, make any mention of the upcoming U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference. It is still unclear which states will be invited to the conference, as well as which issues will be dealt with.But Abbas said the meeting should be the precursor to full negotiations on the permanent status. "We have faith and trust," Abbas said, emphasizing a hopeful tone.A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity to more freely discuss the president's private talks, said there will not be negotiations at the November meeting.The three leaders were in New York for the annual UN General Assembly conference.Bush held talks with Abbas and Fayad, and then a separate one-on-one session alone with Abbas, with the aim of preparing for the peace conference by bolstering the two moderate leaders.That task is especially important to the U.S. since the Palestinian territories split this summer into two camps ruled by rival governments - one controlled by Abbas in the West Bank and the other by Hamas in the Gaza Strip."I appreciate the fact that you're fighting the extremists who don't share the same kind of view," Bush told Abbas.Abbas said it was critical that the American president maintain current high levels of support for his government, the senior White House official said.Blair: Mideast conference is a stepping stone to peace accord.An upcoming Mideast conference in the U.S. should serve as a stepping stone toward a peace accord between Israelis and Palestinians, international envoy Tony Blair told an Israeli TV station Monday.Blair's interview with Channel 2 was his first with local media since he became Mideast envoy for the Quartet, the international coalition of Mideast mediators made up of the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia, in July.The former British prime minister said he hoped to help build a strong, moderate Palestinian government able to exercise law and order. The key question for Palestinians, Blair said, is whether moderates who want the right vision for Palestine - and want it to live side by side in peace with Israel - are able to take charge."What I can say is that the next few months will decide whether the will is there to do that," Blair said."I think what is important about the November meeting is that it... gives us a stepping stone for a future agreement," Blair said. At the meeting, he said, it needs to be clear that there is sufficient common ground and that, with time, it will be possible to reach an agreement.Asked if Israel should negotiate with the Islamic militant Hamas, which violently seized control of the Gaza Strip in June, Blair said he didn't think that was either possible or sensible."I think Israel should be prepared to negotiate with Palestinians who want peace," Blair said. "But if people don't want peace, it's difficult to negotiate with them."As in the days of Noah...
