BUSH ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN MONITORING, ASSESSING MIDEAST DEVELOPMENTS

President Bush is actively involved in "monitoring and assessing" the developments in the Middle East from his ranch in Crawford, Texas where he is spending the Easter weekend, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters at an early morning briefing in Crawford March 29.

The President, Johndroe said, discussed Middle East developments with his National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice several times during the day, Thursday, March 28, and spoke again with her and with Secretary of State Colin Powell last night. Rice and Powell are in Washington.

"This morning, the President received his usual intelligence briefing and then presided over a meeting of the National Security Council via secure video, a rather lengthy meeting...over an hour," the White House spokesman said, indicating that the Middle East was the topic of discussion.

Johndroe said the Bush administration is in touch with U.S. diplomats on the ground in Israel and with its Middle East envoy General Zinni, who is in the area to try to get the Palestinians and the Israelis to implement the Tenet security plan so they can then move into the Mitchell plan for achieving peace in the region.

Zinni, Johndroe said, "is in touch with both parties and we are monitoring the events very closely and assessing appropriate responses to the ongoing developments in the region."

Expected to join the President and the First Lady at the ranch during the weekend are Mrs. Bush's mother and President Bush's parents -- former President Bush and Barbara Bush, the White House spokesman said, adding that "you can probably expect to see them on Sunday attending church service with the President and the First Lady."

WEEK AHEAD SCHEDULE

President and Mrs. Bush are expected to return to Washington in the early evening of Sunday, March 31.

On April 1 they will participate in the annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House lawn.

On April 2, President Bush will travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to participate in a roundtable discussion and make remarks on education. And he will attend a Fisher for Governor reception that evening before returning to Washington.

On April 3, the President will continue his focus on education and make remarks on that topic in the East Room of the White House.

Nothing is scheduled yet for April 4.

On Friday, April 5, President and Mrs. Bush will return to Crawford in anticipation of the visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his family for the bilateral discussions scheduled at the ranch next weekend.