The White House promised a new push in President George W. Bush's second term to revive the Middle East peace process on Thursday.
"We have a new opportunity before us to move forward on the 'road map' and get to the two-state vision that the president outlined," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
Bush has said he supports a Palestinian state alongside Israel and an international peace plan known as the "road map," which imposes obligations on both sides.
British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, urged on Wednesday Bush to dedicate much more efforts to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Blair, who was congratulating the American leader on the latter's second term in office in a brief speech Wednesday night, described the need for such a solution as the "single most pressing political challenge in our word today."
Meanwhile, Syria on Thursday congratulated Bush for his reelection hoping that "serious dialogue and sticking to the international legitimacy" would boost ties between the two countries in the future.
President Bashar al-Assad sent the US President a congratulations telegram in which he expressed "happiness" for his winning of a new term and conveyed the sincerest and best wishes.
"I hope the serious dialogue and adherence to principals the United States of America is based on and the international legitimacy as well as the UN charter will be the way to strengthen ties between our two countries and work together as to establish the just and comprehensive peace in our region, " President Assad said.
President Assad wished the US President good health and happiness and the US people more prosperity under his leadership. (albawaba.com)
