May 20 - Bush Assures Abbas Of Support.

US Pres. Bush speaks to PM Mahmoud Abbas and expresses his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But White House spokesman Ari Fleischer indicated that Abbas, who is also known as Abu Mazen, would have to make progress in imposing security both as a precondition for action on the Israeli side and before he could be given an invitation to Washington. Bush was looking forward to meeting Abbas at some point, Fleischer said, adding: "But first, security has got to come on the ground. From that can come the advance that both parties need in terms of the political prospects of getting agreements". Sources close to the US administration said that in the wake of suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco last week, the White House was not in a position to put pressure on the Israeli government to make significant concessions. One source said the spate of violence by Palestinian militants would put the process on hold for several weeks.