Bush to stress economic progress and security
Only speech during Bush's Middle East trip to be made in the UAE
Manama: George W. Bush will deliver a speech during his forthcoming trip to the Middle East in Abu Dhabi following his meeting with President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a US official said.
Although his advisors are still working on finalising a schedule of "opportunities to meet government officials and talk to business people, students, and others in the region", Bush will not make other speeches, although he will have a roundtable on democracy and development with Kuwaiti women in Kuwait.
"In that speech, he will talk about the progress we have seen in the Gulf, the progress of the freedom agenda in the region, emerging economic progress, and how regional security is important for both continued economic growth and for the spread of freedom," US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley yesterday said at the White House press briefing.
He said that the US administration has seen progress in elections and participation in parliaments in the region.
Women's rights
"I would note, for example, that in Bahrain, there has been progress in promoting women's rights. The first woman was elected to parliament in 2006. In the UAE, it has held its first ever indirect elections for members of the parliament," Hadley said.
"King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia has launched a national dialogue to address reform issues, including women's rights and relations with non-Muslims. He has talked a lot about the importance of promoting intercultural and interfaith understanding. He has met with the Pope. Kuwait has granted the right for women to vote and to run for office, and women have competed in the elections that they held in 2006," he said.
The visit to the Middle East is the first by Bush since he was elected president. He will arrive in Kuwait before flying to Bahrain where he will hold talks with King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa.
He will visit the US Navy Fifth Fleet in Juffair in the outskirts of Manama tomorrow before travelling to the UAE.
The visits to Bahrain and the UAE will be the fourth and fifth stops on a tour that also includes Israel, the West Bank, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
