Jordan Times
Monday, September 10, 2007
Final status issues
priority - King
AMMAN (Agencies) - His Majesty King Abdullah told Mideast Quartet peace envoy
Tony Blair on Sunday that final status issues in the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict should be a top priority at a US-sponsored peace meeting later this
year.
The King reiterated Jordan’s support for efforts exerted by the international
Middle East peace Quartet to build confidence between the Palestinians and
Israelis, ahead of the US-proposed conference.
King Abdullah said the success of the peace conference requires all concerned
parties to work seriously in the coming few weeks to guarantee a substantial
outcome that would meet the aspirations of the Palestinians in establishing
their own independent and contiguous state.
He urged the Israelis and Palestinians to waste no time in resuming final status
negotiations on crucial issues such as borders, the future of Jerusalem and
refugees.
For his part, Blair briefed the King on the Quartet’s efforts to jump-start the
peace process, especially the outcome of his current tour in the region.
Blair commended the King’s keenness and continued efforts to arrive at a better
understanding between the Palestinians and Israelis and to achieve peace in the
Middle East region.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned that the Middle East peace meeting,
expected in November, could fail unless Israel agrees on a framework of core
issues.
After stepping down as British prime minister in June, Blair was named the
special envoy for the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United
States - the so-called Quartet of the stalled Middle East peace process.
Blair has held talks with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in
preparation for the peace conference, and was expected on Sunday to leave Amman
for Jerusalem, his spokesman told Agence France-Presse.
Blair’s regional tour came ahead of a New York meeting of the Quartet, which has
been pushing with little success since 2003 a roadmap for peace between the
Palestinians and Israel.