SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt (AP) - Vice President Dick Cheney said yesterday that Israel and the Palestinians share the burden of ending Middle East bloodshed. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met with Cheney and promised to apply pressure, too.

At a news conference with Cheney at this Red Sea resort, Mubarak also addressed another difficult Mideast issue, saying he believes Iraq's Saddam Hussein is close to agreeing to allow the return of U.N. weapons inspectors.

One of Cheney's missions on his trip to the region - to make a case for widening the war on terrorism to include Iraq - has been overshadowed by the spiraling loss of life in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"The United States will do all it can to end the tragic violence between Palestinians and Israelis and to resume a serious negotiating process," Cheney said.

The Bush administration, which has demanded that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat do more to end the violence, has lately been more openly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Asked if he believed the burden for restoring peace had shifted to Sharon given this week's Israeli offensive in the West Bank and Gaza, Cheney said: "I think the burden is on both parties to bring an end to the violence."

"It's not going to be possible to make progress until both parties can agree to a cease-fire," he added.

Mubarak cited "great concern" over what he called "the current deteriorating situation in the Middle East."

He said he and Cheney agreed to make "extensive efforts" to try to put into place an initiative by CIA Director George Tenet and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell.