Bush praises Abbas after private meeting
US President George Bush described Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas today as “a man of peace” who can help advance Mideast talks that stalled after Hamas militants swept into power during the last elections.
Abbas told Bush: “We are in dire need of your help and support.”
Abbas assured Bush that Palestinians want peace, despite the election of Hamas, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction and has rebuffed international demands to recognise Israel and renounce violence.
“The Palestinian people desire peace, and there is no power on Earth that can prevent the Palestinian people from moving toward the peaceful solution and living and coexisting in peace,” he said.
The meeting came while the two leaders were in New York to attend the UN General Assembly.
“I fully understand that in order to achieve this vision there must be leaders willing to speak out and act on behalf of people who yearn for peace,” Bush said at the end of his meeting with Abbas when reporters were invited in.
“And you are such a leader, Mr President.”
Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took his verbal battle with the United States to the floor of the UN General Assembly, calling US President George Bush “the devil".
“The devil came here yesterday,” Chavez said, referring to Bush’s address the previous day.
“He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world.”
The leftist leader, who joined Iran last week in an alliance against US influence, accused Washington of “domination, exploitation and pillage of peoples of the world".
“We appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our head,” he said.
He also said the UN in its current system “doesn’t work” and is “antidemocratic".
He called for reform, saying the US government’s “immoral veto” had allowed recent Israeli bombings of Lebanon to continue unabated for more than a month.
“Venezuela once again proposes today that we reform the United Nations,” he said, adding a suggestion that UN headquarters be moved out of the US.
