Bush sends Powell on Mideast peace mission
President Bush is sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to the Middle East to head up a new US effort to stem violence in the region.
An administration official said Powell’s trip is part of a broad new plan by Bush to help end the bloody Israel-Palestine stalemate.
Bush was announcing his plan later today.
Ahead of his statement, Bush engaged in intensive telephone diplomacy to try to stem the violence.
Powell turned aside a European suggestion that the United States has been ineffective and said he may intervene personally.
‘‘The president wants to seize the moment to try to create an environment in which peace can take root,’’ said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. He said Bush would take action to ‘‘exert the moral leadership of the United States.’’
Bush made at least two telephone calls, Fleischer said, and also directed other officials in his administration to make calls. Fleischer would not say whom Bush has called.
But Fleischer said Bush and his top aides ‘‘have worked very hard to, especially, talk to many of the Arab nations in the region who can play a very constructive role.’’
Powell suggested earlier that he might get personally involved next week with Israeli and Arab leaders.
He was responding to a proposal from the president of the European Commission for an international conference to mediate a cease-fire and peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians.
‘‘The immediate problem is to get control over the terrorism and the violence in the region,’’ Powell said. ‘‘I am not in a position to call for a conference, unless we know what purpose that conference would serve.’’
