Jordan Times
Sunday, January 13, 2008
King, Bush discuss Middle East peace
AMMAN (JT) - His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday received a telephone call from US President George W. Bush who is on a regional tour.
President Bush briefed His Majesty on his recent talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as part of US efforts to advance the peace process.
The King stressed the importance of sustaining the present momentum to advance peace, and the need for the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations to proceed within clear mechanisms and time frame that would lead to the establishment of an independent state on Palestinian land.
King Abdullah commended Bush’s stated commitment to end the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian lands and his efforts to achieve, before his presidency ends this year, a comprehensive peace settlement that addresses the core issue pertaining to the Mideast conflict, including final status issues.
His Majesty emphasised the importance of achieving real and tangible progress during the weeks and months ahead. Progress hinges on both sides honouring their agreements in accordance with relevant international resolutions and the two-state solution that has the support of the Arabs and the world society, the King said.
The King said it was crucial for the international community to support the Palestinian Authority in its efforts to strengthen national institutions and to alleviate the difficult conditions people are going through.
King Abdullah urged building on the Arab Peace Initiative to achieve comprehensive peace, noting that the initiative reflects the Arab will to live in peace and security with Israel.
President Bush reviewed with His Majesty the outcome of his talks with the Palestinian and Israeli leaders and stressed the US administration’s commitment to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of a two-state solution.
King wants better trade ties with Morocco
Meanwhile, the King has announced that several agreements will be signed during his visit to Morocco, scheduled to start today, voicing hope that the deals will boost the volume of trade exchange, which he described as “very modest”.
The Monarch made his remarks in an interview with the Maghreb Arabe Presse yesterday.
In the interview, the King said there are various fields for cooperation between Jordan and Morocco.
Such cooperation, he said, is likely to enhance the process of building and development in the two countries in several sectors, including political development and commercial and economic cooperation.
King Abdullah, who said Jordan and Morocco share a long history of cooperation, added that the agreements to be signed during his visit will help develop trade exchange and expand the scope of cooperation in development and investment fields.
King Abdullah stressed that Arab unity and solidarity should be coupled with genuine and effective efforts to enhance inter-Arab economic cooperation so as to provide the Arab peoples with opportunities to have a decent living.
The Monarch said the current challenges facing Arab countries require a unified vision that takes into consideration Arab common interests.
On the peace process in the Middle East and the outcome of the recent US-hosted Annapolis meeting, King Abdullah said the Arab role was prominent and clear in the November meeting, which reflected a strong commitment to peace and willingness to reach a just and comprehensive peace.
In this regard, the King stressed that the Palestinian issue is the core of Arab-Israeli conflict, reiterating that a permanent political settlement to the issue should be based on international resolutions, the roadmap and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which received fresh support by the Arab leaders at the Arab summit held in Riyadh last year.
King Abdullah said the Annapolis meeting resulted in understandings and agreements between the Palestinians that paved the way for starting serious negotiations that address the final status issues leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil in the West Bank and Gaza Strip during this year.
The understanding and the agreements between the Palestinians and Israelis following the Annapolis meeting received unprecedented support from the Arab and Islamic countries and the international community, the Monarch noted.
King Abdullah added that the international community should realise that finding a just solution to the Palestinian issue will pave the way for solving the conflicts and the crises in the Middle East.