WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said Wednesday that establishing a new Palestinian leadership after the death of Yasser Arafat would improve chances for peace in the Middle East.
With Arafat close to death in a military hospital in France, Bush said "there will be an opening for peace" with new leaders in place.
"When that happens, and I believe that it's going to happen ... the United States of America will be more than willing to help build the institutions for a free society to emerge so that the Palestinians can have their own state," Bush told reporters at the White House.
"The vision is two states, a Palestinian state and Israel living side by side in peace. I think we've got a chance to do that. I look forward to being involved in that process."
Arafat, 75, was in a deep coma at the military clinic outside Paris. As his death was considered imminent, preparations are already underway for a funeral. The United States has not yet decided who it will send to the ceremony, the State Department said.
During his presidency Bush worked to marginalize Arafat, with Washington accusing the veteran Palestinian leader of failing to curb anti-Israeli attacks by Palestinian militants.
Bush, who was re-elected to a new four year term last week, faces mounting international calls to put new energy into efforts to end the decades old conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday, on the eve of his departure for Washington for talks with Bush, that solving the conflict must be a priority. Blair said in the British parliament that he would "stress again the importance of the Middle East peace process".
Recalling a statement made after Bush's re-election, Blair said: "I think that (the Middle East peace process), together with democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq, are the single most important things we can do."
In a telephone conversation with Bush, Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday urged the US leader to help set up an independent Palestinian state, Jordan's official Petra news agency reported.
"It is important for the United States to pursue its efforts aimed at bringing a comprehensive and just peace in the region and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state," the king was quoted as saying.
Bush made one attempt during a Middle East tour in June 2003 to inject new life into Middle East talks based on the 'roadmap' for peace drawn up by the United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations.
The process has become deadlocked however. The plan originally foresaw the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005 but Bush admitted this year that the deadline was too short.
The Bush administration has thrown its weight behind a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to withdraw from 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank. This would not be part of the roadmap plan however.
The United States has lobbied to strengthen the position of Palestinian prime minister, now held by Ahmed Qorei, and give it control over the Palestinian security services.
The makeup of the new Palestinian leadership is still being decided by the different factions, however, so the attitude of Arafat's successors to talks with the Israelis is not yet known.
But Bush and Sharon have demanded that attacks against Israel halt before negotiations can resume.