Petra News Agency
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
King Returns Home Following a Working Visit to Canada and the United States
His Majesty King Abdullah II returned home following a working visit to Canada and the United States where he held talks on
ways of pushing the peace process forward, the situation in the Middle East and means of boosting Jordan's relations with
the two countries.
During his talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa, the King urged the international community to
intensify its efforts to push the peace process forward and provide all forms of support to the Palestinian people.
His Majesty made it clear that failure to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will threaten the whole region.
In his speech at the Canadian Foreign Ministry's Pearson Building, the King said peace cannot be sustained unless people
enjoy a dignified life.
Also during his visit to Canada, His Majesty held talks with the Canadian prime minister on signing a free trade agreement
between the two countries and support Jordan in its negotiations with the Paris Club.
King Abdullah also met with senior economic figures and discussed with them ways of developing cooperation between the
private sectors of both countries.
He expressed Jordan's commitment to economic openness, highlighting the important role played by the private sector to
achieve economic development.
Jordan, he said was keen to increase investments through adopting modern and transparent polices, laws and regulations.
During his visit to Washington, the King held talks with US administration officials on mechanisms of resuming peace
negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, particularly after the US President George Bush's recent call for an
international conference to advance the peace process.
His Majesty stressed in his summit with President Bush the importance of achieving a real and tangible progress in the
peace process that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state living alongside Israel and meets the
aspirations of the region's people to live in peace and stability.
The King said that a just and comprehensive peace to which the Arab people aspire should emanate from a solution that
addresses all outstanding issues between the Palestinians and Israel, including final status issues.
His Majesty also met in Washington with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during which he discussed the situation in
the Middle East.
The King's visits to Canada and the United States come within His Majesty's relentless efforts to put the peace process
back on its proper track with a view to achieving just and comprehensive peace and regaining the legitimate rights of
Palestinians.