Laura Bush, the wife of American President George W. Bush, is to arrive in the Middle East along with American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, according to spokesman Sean McCormack. The "First lady" has been involved in United States foreign policy concerning Burma.
 
Asked by reporters if Secretary Rice objected to Laura Bush's being involved in the Middle East, McCormack said, "The Secretary welcomes the First Lady playing this kind of role. She cares deeply about these issues... Secretary Rice couldn't be more pleased with the role that the First Lady has chosen to take on a couple of these really important issues."

McCormack added that Secretary Rice is "going to have her sleeves rolled up" on arriving to Israel, where "there is a lot of hard work." He said the Bush administration still has not issued invitations to the Annapolis, Maryland summit.