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Panetta on Mideast mission

Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak (R) and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta (L) review the honour guard upon the latter's arrival to the defense ministry in Tel Aviv on October 3, 2011 during an official visit to Israel. UPI/Jack Guez/Pool
1 of 6 | Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak (R) and U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta (L) review the honour guard upon the latter's arrival to the defense ministry in Tel Aviv on October 3, 2011 during an official visit to Israel. UPI/Jack Guez/Pool | License Photo

JERUSALEM, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta left Sunday on his first trip to the Middle East since moving to the Pentagon from the Central Intelligence Agency.

Panetta will meet with Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders this week, as well as with officials at NATO headquarters in Belgium, the Defense Department said in a release.

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"The main purpose of this trip is to try to reaffirm our security relationship with important allies and with important partnerships that we have in that part of the world," Panetta told reporters aboard the military aircraft taking to the Middle East.

In Israel, Panetta will meet separately with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, with security issues, Iran and the so-called Arab Spring revolutions that have shaken the region on the agenda.

Panetta said he would reaffirm the United States' strong ties with Israel and "make clear that we will protect their qualitative military edge, and that ... as they take risks for peace that we will be able to provide the security they will need" to negotiate a peace agreement with Palestine.

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He said he would counsel Israel to "participate in the peace process" and "make the same kind of request" when meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

"These difficult issues that need to be resolved are best resolved at the negotiating table by all of them participating and working on what are obviously difficult issues that can only be resolved through negotiations," Panetta said.

He also said the United States is interested in helping Israel try to "improve relations with some of its neighboring countries ... particularly with countries like Turkey and Egypt."

Panetta also is to meet with Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi, who heads Egypt's armed forces, and with Prime Minister Essam Sharaf to discuss the government transition there and the two countries' long-term defense relationship.

Panetta said he will urge the Egyptians "to proceed with putting the election process in place so Egypt can move toward a civilian government that represents the will of the people, represents their desires and represents their hopes."

When he reaches Belgium, Panetta will deliver a speech and attend meetings centering on Libya and Afghanistan, as well as budget matters.

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