Dispute over larger U.S. role in Mideast

In this story: Break in policy? 'Welcome mat isn't out yet,' official says U.S. may reduce Sinai presence RELATED STORIES, SITES

DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- A senior Bush administration official has disputed a statement from a senior Western diplomat in Syria that the United States is preparing to take a larger role in the Middle East.

The Western diplomat, who was visiting Damascus, also said the United States will invite Palestinian officials to Washington to discuss the Mideast situation.

But the Bush administration official said the United States is already involved in the conflict through phone diplomacy and he questioned whether the Palestinians were even ready for a more active U.S. role.

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"We're still waiting for them to get their act together," the administration official said.

The diplomat in Syria said the United States also would welcome increased involvement from the European Union, Russia, and Arab states in the region in attempts to curb the violence in the Middle East.

Since the Bush administration has been in office, the United States has taken a more restrained role than the activist policies practiced by the Clinton administration.

Break in policy?

The first hint of a break in that policy occurred this week when U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell criticized an Israeli occupation of a small section of the Gaza strip as "excessive."

The Palestinians have said they hope that the Bush administration will become more involved.

Palestinian sources have conceded, however, that the ideas of Palestinian officials going to Washington and a possible later trip by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to meet with Bush or Powell were still in the very early stages.

"Obviously we have to get engaged more," the Western diplomat told CNN, adding that two or three Palestinian officials would be invited to come to Washington "in the next few days."

While it is "probably still too early" to invite Arafat to come, the official said, discussions would pave the way for that to happen soon.

The diplomat said Israel and the Palestinians also could expect to see a more active role from U.S. officials stationed in the Middle East.

'Welcome mat isn't out yet,' official says

The Bush administration official in Washington offered a far more measured account of what the U.S. role may be. He said Palestinians may come to Washington, but no formal invitation has been extended and no official plans are in the works.

"The welcome mat isn't out yet," the official said in reference to a possible visit by Arafat.

As for the possibility of greater U.S. involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, the official stressed that the Bush administration was "already actively involved," citing the president's phone calls to area leaders.

Bush, he said, will also weigh in on the matter next week when the president of Lebanon visits on Tuesday.

The situation in the Middle East, said the official, "bears close watching and active engagement."

U.S. may reduce Sinai presence

In another development, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday that the Bush administration is considering reducing its military presence in the Sinai.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has sought the opinions of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon about the United States reducing its presence in the Sinai force, said Rear Adm. Craig Quigley at a briefing.

"No decisions have been made in that regard, but we continue to discuss that, and not only there, but elsewhere around the world, as well," Quigley said.

President Bush, during a photo opportunity with the visiting president of Argentina, offered similar comments.

"We're looking at all troop deployments around the world," Bush said. "Where we can reduce troops without creating instability, we will do so."

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Israel Defense Forces
Palestinian National Authority

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