U.S. President George W. Bush (R) and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 61st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York Sept. 20, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

NEW YORK, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush met here with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday and said the best way for the Middle East peace is a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel.

    "I believe that the best way to bring peace to the Holy Land is for two democratic states living side by side in peace," Bush told reporters after his meeting with Abbas.

    Bush said that to achieve this vision, "there must be leaders willing to speak out and act on behalf of people who yearn for peace."

    Bush said Abbas is such a leader and the U.S. government wants to work with him to achieve this vision.

    For his part, Abbas said he told Bush that more than 70 percent of the Palestinian people believe in the two-state solution. "That means that the Palestinian people desire peace, and there is no power on Earth that can prevent the Palestinian people from moving toward a peaceful solution and living and coexisting in peace," he said.

    The Bush administration has refused to deal with the Palestinian government headed by the militant Hamas. However, it has voiced support to Abbas as a moderate leader. Enditem