Bush Leaves for 3-Nation Visit to Middle East

Vice President George Bush left Friday night for a whirlwind tour of the Middle East with Arab-Israeli peace prospects at the top of the agenda, but the thorny issue of alleged Israeli spying on the United States is also expected to come up.

Bush and his wife, Barbara, left Washington for Frankfurt, West Germany, where they plan to rest before going on to Jerusalem for three days of meetings, socializing and sightseeing.

Bush will also visit Jordan and Egypt before returning to Washington on Aug. 5.

Aides to Bush and other Reagan Administration sources said the main aim of the trip is to emphasize Washington’s interest in moving toward peace in the region, with the talks last week between Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres and Morocco’s King Hassan II expected to be a prime topic of discussion.

Regarding alleged Israeli espionage in the United States, a top Bush aide said, “I am sure the vice president will be asked about it, but it is nothing that he has on his agenda to raise.”