    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [November 26, 2007]
    [Pages 1492-1493]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to a Meeting With President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority
    November 26, 2007

        President Bush. Mr. President, welcome.
        President Abbas. Thank you.
        President Bush. Yes. It's good to have you back here in the Oval
    Office. Thank you for coming, and thank you for working hard to
    implement a vision for a Palestinian state.
        We want to help you. We want there to be peace. We want the people
    in the Palestinian Territories to have hope. And we thank you for your
    willingness to sit down with Israel to negotiate the settlement.
        The United States cannot impose our vision, but we can help
    facilitate. And the process will begin tonight at the State Department
    and then on to Annapolis tomorrow. And I want to thank you for coming.
    Wish you all the very best.
        President Abbas. I am delighted to have the opportunity to meet with
    President Bush after his invitation and this historic initiative that he
    launched to convene the Annapolis Conference. We have a great deal of
    hope that this conference will produce a permanent status negotiations,
    expanded negotiations over all permanent

    [[Page 1493]]

     status issues that would lead to a peace agreement between Israel and
    the Palestinian people, an agreement to secure security and stability.
        President Bush's initiative is a great initiative. We will continue
    to rely on his support and the support of the United States and his
    administration in order to achieve the intended objective. Thank you.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:11 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. President Abbas spoke in Arabic, and his remarks were translated
    by an interpreter.