WASHINGTON - President Bush declared yesterday that the prospect of persuading Iraq to disarm was "not encouraging," and he denounced Baghdad's weapons declaration as a disappointment "for those who long for peace."

Bush offered a grim view of the likelihood of avoiding war as the United States stages a major military buildup in the Persian Gulf region. The Pentagon confirmed that 50,000 more troops would be dispatched to the region beginning next month, boosting the total U.S. military strength in that part of the world to 110,000.

On Thursday, the United States declared Iraq to be in "material breach" of the United Nations Security Council demand that it fully disclose its weapons programs. The warning followed Iraq's delivery of a 12,000-page declaration that U.S. officials said was full of omissions, evasions and lies.

Reinforcing the stern message yesterday, Bush said, referring to Saddam Hussein: "We expected him to show that he would disarm. It's a long way from there."

Asked whether the United States and Iraq are on a path toward war, Bush replied that the Iraqi document "was not encouraging."

"Yesterday," the president said, "was a disappointing day for those who long for peace."

As the crisis deepened, the White House announced late yesterday that Bush had decided to postpone, until later next year, his scheduled trip to Africa next month because of "a combination of domestic and international considerations."

The president spoke to reporters during a break in a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and European and Russian leaders to discuss the Middle East. Bush sought to send the message that, even in the midst of a confrontation with Iraq, he remained committed to the creation of an independent Palestinian state as part of a solution to the Middle East conflict.

After meetings yesterday, the group called for "an immediate comprehensive cease-fire" between Israel and the Palestinians, demanding that all Palestinian groups end acts of terror against Israelis and saying that as calm is established, Israel should pull its forces out of Palestinian areas it has occupied since the uprising began in September 2000.

The group also called for Israel to review its military procedures so as to prevent further Palestinian civilian casualties.

European leaders, along with moderate Arab leaders, have pressed the United States to assume a larger role in ending the conflict. They fear that without an active peace process, a new war against Iraq could further destabilize the Middle East.

To their disappointment, Bush has refused to launch a long-awaited "roadmap" for Israeli-Palestinian peace until after the Israeli elections Jan. 28. His stance matches the preference of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell also suggested that progress on the peace process would not come until "the Iraq situation resolves itself one way or the other."

In the meeting yesterday with Annan and top officials of the European Union and Russia, Bush said the roadmap "is not complete yet," though others present said it was very close to being ready.

"The United States is committed to its completion," Bush said. "We are committed to its implementation in the name of peace."

He endorsed the emerging plan as part of the vision he outlined in his Middle East policy speech of June 24: "It is a way forward. It sets conditions. It's a results-oriented document."

Bush barely hinted at his demand in that speech for new leadership of the Palestinian Authority, widely interpreted at the time as a signal that the Palestinians needed to replace Yasser Arafat. Yesterday, Bush said only that "we must encourage the development of Palestinian institutions which are transparent."

But in response to concerns raised by pro-Israel groups, an earlier draft of the roadmap has been changed to make stronger demands for Palestinian reform and to declare that an independent state would be possible only if the Palestinian leadership is "willing and able to build a practicing democracy."

The roadmap also imposes tougher requirements on Palestinians to crack down on violence and terror.

One reason for the delay in finishing the roadmap is a debate over a "monitoring mechanism" to judge Israeli and Palestinian performance. Israel prefers that the United States be in control of monitoring.

A senior U.S. official said that while the peace process "quartet" - the grouping of the United States, Europe, the United Nations and Russia - would join in the monitoring, all understand that the United States will play "the dominant role."