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Obama invites leaders for talks on Mideast peace

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has invited Egyptian, Israeli and Palestinian leaders for separate talks in the next few weeks on the Middle East peace process, the White House said on Tuesday.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said the White House was trying to finalize dates for visits by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The visits were likely to take place before Obama's scheduled trip to France in June, he said.

"With each of them the president will discuss ways the United States can strengthen and deepen our partnerships with them, as well as the steps all parties must take to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians and Israel and the Arab states," Gibbs told a news conference. (Reporting and writing by Ross Colvin; Editing by Bill Trott)