(White House Report, May 8: Iran, Denmark, Qatar, NATO, Japan, Philippines) (880) Asked May 8 about Secretary of State Colin Powell's upcoming visit to the Middle East, and what President Bush thinks it will accomplish, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said: "The president is hopeful that in the secretary's visit to the Middle East, the secretary will find a willingness from the parties to take the first steps down the road that the road map outlines. It's very important for the Israelis, for the Palestinians, for the Arabs to recognize that this is now a moment to seize. And the secretary is going to the Middle East to help them to seize it. And it's the beginning of an important process." The road map "represents a hopeful moment, a hopeful process, and it outlines a route for the Israelis, the Palestinians and the Arabs to travel together to reach the goal of a two-state solution to the violence that has wracked the Middle East," Fleischer said. "As we have seen in many other peace efforts in the Middle East, going back decades, sometimes they're successful, sometimes they're not. This president is determined to take every step the United States can make to help this one to be successful. There are no guarantees. It is the Middle East. What can be guaranteed is that this president will put his shoulder to the wheel to try to make it happen." Powell travels to the Middle East and Europe May 9 through May 16. He will visit Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Bulgaria, and Germany. U.S. EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM The White House said it is concerned that Iran has accelerated its covert nuclear weapons program. Fleischer said "we have made clear to the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] and to other governments and to the public that we strongly support a rigorous IAEA examination of Iran's nuclear weapons program." He said "the IAEA has gone into Iran, they have looked at various things there, and we look forward to a full report from the director-general of the IAEA at the June board of governors meeting, so we are awaiting a report from them. Their work is very important." BUSH MEETS WITH NUMBER OF FOREIGN LEADERS President Bush began his day at the White House May 8 with a breakfast meeting with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Prime Minister of Denmark. "The president thanked the prime minister for Denmark's strong support in the war on terror and the operation in Iraq. They discussed European relations with the United States as well as Middle East peace prospects," Fleischer told reporters. Later in the morning Bush met in the Oval Office, with the Amir of Qatar, followed by a luncheon together. "They talked about reconstruction of Iraq, prospects for peace in the Middle East, and the president congratulated the amir on the reform efforts that he has led in the nation of Qatar," Fleischer said. In the afternoon, the president, welcomed the foreign ministers of Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia and Latvia. Earlier in the day the U.S. Senate voted to approve NATO membership for the seven countries. President Bush "looks forward to cementing a strong basis for the future close cooperation we enjoy with these nations," Fleischer said. JAPAN'S PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT BUSH AT CRAWFORD RANCH "The president and Mrs. Bush will welcome Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan to his ranch at Crawford on May 22nd and May 23rd," Fleischer told reporters. "Japan stands as a committed ally and firm supporter of coordinated efforts to tackle the major security challenges we face. The president looks forward to discussions with Prime Minister Koizumi on the reconstruction of the liberated Iraq, strengthening a united strategy to deal with North Korea's nuclear threat, and exploring closer cooperation on global economic and security issues." PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT INVITED TO WHITE HOUSE FOR STATE VISIT President Bush will welcome to the White House Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for a state visit on May 19th, Fleischer said. "The Philippines are a close friend, a stalwart ally in the war on terror, and the president and the first lady will host the president for a state visit and a state dinner later that evening." "This is the president's way of saying thank you to the government of the Philippines, to President Arroyo and to the people of Philippines for their stalwart efforts in fighting the war on terror, for being such a good and reliable ally to the United States," Fleischer said. The Philippines, he added, "is in an area of the world that has not received much notice, because much notice in the war on terrorism has been focused on Afghanistan or Iraq or other places. The Philippines has suffered mightily at the hands of terrorists, and the Philippine government and President Arroyo have shown great courage in taking on the terrorists inside the Philippines, particularly on some of the more remote islands in the Philippines. And the president wants to express the gratitude and appreciation of the American people and himself by hosting a state visit."