US President George W. Bush has set a four-year goal of seeing a Palestinian state established and he and British Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed to mobilise international support to help make it happen now that Yasser Arafat is dead.
"I'd like to see it done in four years," said Mr Bush, elected last week to a second four-year term. "I think it is possible."
At a joint White House news conference after their talks, Mr Blair said he and Mr Bush would work to mobilise international support to help bolster institutions for a viable Palestinian state that deteriorated under Mr Arafat.
He cited the need to revive the Palestinian economy, build up its security institutions to fight terror and its government to fight corruption, and reform the political system.
"What we will do is anything that is necessary to make this strategy work," said Mr Blair.
At the same time, Mr Bush announced he would travel to Europe soon after he begins his new term early next year to stress that he wants to work together with European allies on the Middle East and other issues.
Much of Europe was in an uproar over the US-led invasion of Iraq and Mr Bush was attacked on the campaign trail by Democrat John Kerry for souring ties with traditional allies. Mr Bush said he would use the trip "to remind people that the world is better off, America is better off, Europe is better off when we work together."
Aides said the itinerary was uncertain but the trip would likely be in February and that one stop would be to Brussels for European Union and NATO talks.