Petra News Agency
Thursday, June 24, 2004
King Affirms Jordan's Readiness to Provide Support to the Palestinians
Amman, June 24 (Petra)--His Majesty King Abdullah II affirmed Jordan's readiness to provide all forms of support to the Palestinian people, particularly with regard to habilitating Palestinian security cadres. The King said during talks with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahmad Qurei that any steps that Jordan takes on training the Palestinian security forces, will be done through coordination and coordination with the Palestinian National Authority, and that any request on this issue will be through the PNA.
"The establishment of an independent Palestinian
state on the Palestinian lands is a Jordanian interest as it is a Palestinian
one," he added. King Abdullah said that the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza should
come though the roadmap and should lead to full Israeli withdrawal from the
Palestinian lands. His Majesty stressed, during the talks which were attended by
Prime Minister Faisal Al Fayez, Minister of the Hashemite Royal Court, Sameer
Rifai, Foreign Minister, Dr. Marwan Muasher and the Palestinian Charge
d'affaires in Amman, Atta Kheiri, that Jordan will continue its contacts and
efforts on the international level to rally support for the resumption of peace
talks and for ending the cycle of violence in the Palestinian lands.
The Palestinian prime minister for his part, expressed appreciation of the
Palestinian leadership to efforts being exerted by His Majesty King Abdullah II
to find a just solution for the Palestinian issue.
"Efforts that were exerted by His Majesty during the past two months had a great impact on changing the track of the Palestinian issue," he said, pointing out to the letter of assurances that was give to the King by the US President George Bush on the final status negotiations and to the King's efforts in opening channels of contacts among American and Palestinian officials.
Qurei briefed the King on developments in the Palestinian lands, especially the Israeli withdrawal plan from Gaza as well as the role played by Egypt in this regard. He affirmed that the Palestinian leadership had taken major steps to unify the Palestinian security departments and rehabilitate them, expressing hope that Jordan would help in training members of the Palestinian security and police.