The United States said today it is gaining ground with Arab leaders in its campaign to reform the Palestinian Authority.
US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell has been in telephone talks with Foreign Ministers Ahmed Maher of Egypt and Marwan Muasher of Jordan, while other American diplomats pursued other Arab leaders.
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The State Department spokesman Mr Richard Boucher says there has been "a positive measure of support".
"They have expressed support for reform in the Palestinian Authority. They've expressed support for more responsibility in the Palestinian Authority," he said.
In Canada, at the G8 meeting of the leaders industrialised democracies, the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair backed President Bush.
"We've got to have leadership we can negotiate with that is serious about peace and resists and totally rejects terrorism," he said.
President Bush, for his part, again ruled out dealing with Mr Yasser Arafat, even if he is re-elected as head of the Palestinian Authority. "I meant what I said; there needs to be change," he said.
However, the State Department said American diplomats dealt with Palestinian officials on all levels.
"We deal with the leadership, the people who are responsible and who we think have a continuing responsibility to push forward, to control the violence, to make lives safer," Mr Boucher said.
He reiterated that Mr Powell had no plans to meet with Mr Arafat if he makes a trip to the region. "The United States is not choosing good guys and bad guys among Palestinian leaders," he said. "We know terrorists, and we don't meet with them. Other than that, we will work with people within the Palestinian leadership."
PA