Olmert to discuss post-election policy with Bush

WASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert voiced confidence before talks with President George W Bush today that U S support for Israel would remain strong with a Democratic Congress in place.

Israel's concern over a nuclear Iran, Palestinian moves to form a unity government to replace a Hamas-led administration and the US war in Iraq are likely to be high on the agenda.

Olmert said he would be seeking from Bush a post-election view of US policy for his final two years in office, but he did not believe Washington's strong backing for the Jewish state would waver.

''Support for Israel traditionally has been bipartisan. I don't see anything changing in the next two years that can alter the balance of feeling towards us,'' Olmert told reporters accompanying him on the flight to Washington yesterday.

In preparation for his talks with Bush, Olmert had a working dinner with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday.

Earlier, he told reporters that Tehran needed to fear the consequences of failing to heed international demands over its nuclear program.

''If someone wants to reach a compromise with Iran, he must understand that Iran won't be ready to do so unless it is afraid,'' Olmert said. ''Israel has various options which I am not prepared to discuss.'' Last month Olmert said there would be a ''price to pay'' if Iran rejected every compromise.

Israel, which is widely believed to be the only country in the Middle East to have atomic weapons, fears that a nuclear Iran would threaten its existence.

Iran says it intends to use its uranium enrichment program purely for electricity generation, but its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has called for Israel's destruction.

Tehran also warned yesterday its Revolutionary Guards would respond swiftly if Israel attacked the Islamic Republic.

INTERNATIONAL DEMANDS Olmert last visited Washington in May, two months after an election that brought his centrist Kadima party to power.

His latest trip comes on the heels a US election that gave the Democrats majorities in Congress and raised speculation in Israel that Bush, weakened by setbacks in Iraq, might try to cap his presidency with progress on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Olmert reiterated that Hamas, which came to power in March, must first meet US, Israeli and international demands to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept existing interim peace accords. Hamas has refused.

The Islamist group has opened talks with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction on allocating cabinet seats in a unity government that Palestinians hope will lead to a restoration of direct foreign aid, which has been cut off from the Palestinian Authority.

In comments to reporters, Olmert again voiced caution over any hasty US withdrawal from Iraq. ''If and when the United States decides to change its attitude towards Iraq, it will have to assess the ramifications of every type of pullout,'' he said.

Olmert flies on to Los Angeles on Tuesday to address the 75th General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities of North America.

REUTERS PDM KP1439