Jordan Times
Sunday, May 16, 2004
AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday discussed ways to relaunch the Middle East peace process and other regional issues with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
In the meeting that took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea, the King voiced Jordan's support for the US move to hold direct talks with Palestinian officials on the peace process.
King Abdullah was referring to a meeting held earlier between Powell and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia in Amman.
The King and Powell also reviewed the steps Washington is taking to hand power over to the Iraqis and the reform process in the Middle East, which, the King said, would enhance development opportunities in the region.
In a separate meeting with Qureia at the Dead Sea earlier, the King called on the Palestinians “to form a unified stand on the initiatives aimed to push forward the peace process” in the Middle East.
King said that such a stand has become essential in response to the developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. His Majesty stressed Jordan's support for the Palestinians who are facing Israeli blockades and incursions into their lands.
Qureia briefed the King on the outcome of his meeting with Powell. The King underlined the importance of utilising meetings between the Palestinian and the US sides to find a way out of the stalemate witnessed in the Middle East peace process.
The King and the Palestinian premier agreed to proceed with coordination and consultations, particularly ahead of the upcoming meeting between Qureia and US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, scheduled for Monday in Berlin.
Also Saturday, Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher discussed with Qureia the outcome of King Abdullah's recent visit to Washington.
The meeting also covered US President George W. Bush's letter to the King, in which Bush clarified the US position on the final status issues related to a final peace settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
At a joint press conference, Muasher said he discussed with Qureia ways of reviving the peace process and building on the achievements of King Abdullah in Washington with the aim of ensuring an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The peace process and the upcoming Arab summit topped the agenda of a meeting between the King and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Maher. His Majesty stressed the need for a unified Arab stand on the major challenges facing the nation: The Palestinian issue, reforms and the future of Iraq.
Muasher also met with Maher to coordinate Amman and Cairo positions on the issues listed on the Arab summit agenda.
Also on the sidelines of the forum, Muasher met with Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim and Singaporean Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Foreign Affairs Raymond Lim. The talks covered the Kingdom's relations with the two countries and the ways of enhancing them.
Meanwhile, King Abdullah met with President of World Bank James Wolfensohn on cooperation between the Kingdom and the bank in projects Jordan is implementing using loans offered by the bank.
Prime Minister Faisal Fayez also discussed Jordan-World Bank ties with Wolfensohn.
Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania also met with World Economic Forum President Klaus Schwab at the Dead Sea where they focused on the preparations of holding this gathering in which key figures from around the world are taking part.
The King's activities on the sidelines of the WEF meeting also included a meeting with visionary Arab figures involved in an initiative to draw up a vision for a better Middle East by 2010.
The King referred to a possibility of including this vision in the Arab summit agenda.
The plan envisions reforms in the region in accordance with a feasible plan and a fixed time schedule. It seeks the involvement of representatives of civil society institutions in all the political, economic and social processes leading to a better situation in the region, including a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the future of Iraq.
The King also discussed the regional situation with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Sultanov, Minister Delegate for European Affairs Claudie HaignerÈ, and the UK Minister for the Middle East and the Commonwealth Baroness Simons.
On the sidelines of WEF, King Abdullah and Queen Rania inaugurated King Al Hussein Ben Talal Convention Centre at the Dead Sea. Built at the cost of JD18 million through King Abdullah II Fund, the 250,000 sq.m. centre is erected on a 70-dunum plot of land.