US President George Bush, fresh from his triumph in the US presidential election, is set to return to work with a routine day at the White House.

He will hold his first cabinet meeting in two months, and is expected to change his line-up of advisers soon.

Bush, who won both the popular and electoral college votes and has strengthened his control of Congress, has vowed to unite a nation split by his re-election, but others see the result as a mandate for radical change.

Meanwhile, Arab governments have reminded Bush of his commitment to Middle East diplomacy, in the hope a second Bush administration will pay more attention to one of their top priorities.

The official message to Bush was one of polite cajoling and willingness to work with the United States to revive Middle East talks, which made no significant progress in Bush's first term.

But their emphasis on his past commitments, to a Palestinian state for example, reflected low expectations that Bush would take any bold new steps to end a conflict that has dominated regional politics for more than 50 years.

With many analysts underlining how divided the America is, the US president made a direct appeal in his victory speech for the support of Americans who had voted for John Kerry.

"I will need your support and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust," he said. "A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation."

Vice-President Dick Cheney, in contrast, has suggested the administration now has a mandate for a range of conservative social and economic policies.

These are likely to include issues ranging from tax reform to abortion and same-sex marriage.

SECOND TERM
Bush's second term in office does not officially begin until January. But Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is among those who are unlikely to last a full second term.

But because of the need for continuity on Iraq policy, the 72-year-old is expected to stay on for another year or so if he wants to.

The fate of Secretary of State Colin Powell is unclear. He is expected to go, but not everyone is convinced that he wants to.

There is speculation he might be replaced by the recently appointed US ambassador to the UN, John Danforth.

National security adviser Condoleezza Rice has said in the past that she wants to return to her university career, but she is close to the president and is thought by some to harbour presidential ambitions herself.

MIDDLE EAST AWAITS
Arab commentators and ordinary people were divided between those who believed Washington would change course and those who thought Bush's views were too deeply entrenched. Some forecast the situation would get worse.

Bush has said he supports a Palestinian state alongside Israel and an international peace plan known as the "road map", which imposes obligations on both sides.

But for most of the two years since he began to ostracise Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, his administration has made only sporadic attempts to bring Israelis and Palestinians together.

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, who has close ties with Washington despite some differences, said in a congratulatory message he was confident Bush would now work vigorously on common goals including a comprehensive Middle East peace.

An official in the United Arab Emirates, who asked not to be named, said: "We hope (Bush) will live up to his commitments, especially on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ... It will help everybody."

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah also proposed joint efforts to solve the Palestinian problem and "combat terrorism and also realise security and peace in brotherly Iraq".

There were similar calls from King Mohammed of Morocco, who called Bush a "great friend", and from Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie.

Qurie said in a letter to Bush: "Your leadership for a second term provides an excellent opportunity ... Now is the time for the United States to take a strong and more active lead in resolving the current conflict."

(REUTERS/AP/BBC)