Jordan Times
Friday - Saturday, November 23 - 24, 2001
Bush sends King message on USpeace efforts
AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday received a message from US President George W. Bush reiterating Washington's full commitment to help achieve a just and durable peace in the Middle East.The message was delivered to the King at his Beit Al Baraka residence in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Rania by Illinois Congressman Mark Kirk. President Bush told the King “Secretary Powell's speech fully reflects my own views,” referring to US Secretary of State Colin Powell's remarks at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday, during which he demanded an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and settlement activity.
Bush also referred to his own address to the United Nations in which he stressed that a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in the existence of both a Palestinian and an Israeli state within secure boundaries.
The US leader renewed his call for a cessation of violence as provided for in the Mitchell report and Tenet plan which, he said, are “accepted by both parties” and “provide a road map to get the parties back to the negotiating table.”
According to the message, Assistant US Secretary of State William Burns and General (Ret.) Anthony Zinni will arrive in the Middle East in the coming few days to help the two parties to overcome the present stalemate and to achieve an immediate ceasefire.
Bush said the US will throw its full weight behind efforts to bring the two parties to the negotiating table, saying that at the King's request and that of several other Arab leaders he has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to a vision for peace in the Middle East.
The president expressed hope that the Arabs will back US efforts which aim at fulfilling this vision to establish an independent Palestinian state that can co-exist side by side with the state of Israel within secure and recognised borders.
In his message Bush commended King Abdullah's efforts in support of the international campaign against terrorism which has caused suffering to many nations.