Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will head to Washington to hold talks with U.S. President George W. Bush at the end of May, according to a statement Palestinian officials released Saturday. The trip, starting May 26, will be Abbas' first visit to the U.S. since he was elected in January. The two leaders are expected to focus their talks on Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the future of the long-stalled "road map" peace plan. According to the statement released by the Palestinian foreign ministry, Abbas will call for intensified U.S. pressure on Israel to implement its road map obligations, including a total freeze on settlement activity and the immediate dismantling of unauthorized Jewish outposts in the West Bank. Abbas will also seek financial support from the U.S. to help boost the ailing Palestinian economy, according to a report of the Associated Press.
