Jordan Times
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
King tells Palestinians
to assure world of peace partnership
Monarch holds talks with Blair in London en route to US
Petra
His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday said
Palestinians should realistically deal with the current situation and assure the
world of their peace partnership.
King Abdullah told President Mahmoud Abbas at a meeting in Amman that
Palestinians should also enhance their national unity and build on what they
achieved to help establish an independent state.
“The Hamas victory was the choice of the Palestinian people and we respect
that,” the Monarch said.
King Abdullah urged the international community to continue its support for the
Palestinians to help them create jobs and a strong economy.
“The Palestinian people, who already suffer from a lot of economic problems,
will be the victims of any hesitation in providing aid to the territories,” he
warned.
The King hailed Abbas' commitment to the Palestinian Authority's policy and
respect for international agreements.
Later in the day, King Abdullah left for London and held talks with Prime
Minister Tony Blair, reiterating that the international community should help
the Palestinians and Israelis resume peace talks. At a 10 Downing Street
meeting, the King warned of more escalation and tension if the world does not
revive peace between both sides of the conflict.
The Monarch told Blair that the EU should continue its support for the PA and
the Palestinians.
He and the prime minister reiterated that the peace process should resume in
line with the roadmap, agreeing that the two-state solution is the only
acceptable peaceful way for the conflict.
On Iraq, meanwhile, the two leaders said the coming government should represent
the various spectra in the violence-hit country to help restore stability and
security and secure a better future.
The King and Blair also discussed the global war on terrorism and reviewed their
joint efforts against it.
On bilateral ties, the two sides discussed means to boost cooperation,
particularly in economic fields.
The King arrived in London en route to the US, where he will hold talks with
President George W. Bush and senior administration officials on Middle East
issues.