Jordan Times
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
King to visit US Thursday
AMMAN (Petra) - His Majesty King Abdullah will start a working visit to the US
on Thursday, preceded by talks with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Yesterday, His Majesty met separately with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
and David Petraeus, commander of the US forces in Iraq.
A Royal Court statement said the King will hold talks at the White House with US
President George W. Bush on ways to advance Palestinian-Israeli peace
negotiations and other developments in the Middle East.
The meeting will also focus on strengthening bilateral ties, especially in the
economic field, the statement said.
King Abdullah, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Rania, will start the
several-day visit on February 28 with a meeting in New York with UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon. They will discuss expanding UN efforts to resolve the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict and foster Middle East peace and stability.
In New Jersey, the King will deliver a policy address at Princeton University,
sponsored by Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International
Affairs.
King Abdullah will address the future of Arab-American relations in the context
of the Middle East's current challenges, particularly how to resolve the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which Jordan views as the most significant
challenge to security and stability of the region.
The King will also discuss with the US administration ways to support the
Palestinian Authority (PA), strengthen national institutions and alleviate
difficult living conditions in Palestine.
His Majesty’s talks with members of both Houses of the US Congress will focus on
developing bilateral ties.
King Abdullah is also scheduled to meet with representatives of Muslim and
Jewish organisations in the US to explore the role they can play in fostering
peace opportunities in the region and strengthening bridges of dialogue,
understanding, tolerance and coexistence between the Arab and Muslim worlds and
the West.
The King will fly tomorrow to Riyadh, where talks with the Saudi monarch will
focus on preparations for the March 28-29 Arab summit in Damascus, along with
other Middle East developments.
According to reports, Saudi Arabia has not yet been invited to the summit due to
differences between Damascus and Riyadh over Lebanon.
Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Kuwait and the PA have received invitations. A Syrian
official told Reuters yesterday that there was "no defined date" as to when
Saudi Arabia would receive an invitation.
In Amman, His Majesty discussed with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas efforts
to push the peace process forward, current developments in the region and issues
of mutual concern.
King Abdullah reiterated Jordan's support for efforts seeking to encourage the
Palestinians and Israelis continue negotiations to reach solutions to final
status issues, leading to the creation of an in dependent Palestinian state in
accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the 2002 Arab Peace
Initiative.
The Monarch renewed his rejection of partial solutions and unilateral measures,
which he labelled as an obstacle to tangible progress in the peace process.
The King called on the Palestinians to do their utmost to address internal
differences and unify positions to be able to obtain their legitimate rights and
create an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
He also voiced concern over the deteriorating living conditions of the
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip due to the continued Israeli siege. He called on
the international community to exert efforts to end the sanctions and continue
humanitarian and medical assistance to the Palestinians in Gaza Strip.
Abbas briefed the King on the results of his recent meetings with Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert and progress in the negotiation process.
Discussions also covered preparations for the upcoming Arab and Islamic summits,
where the two sides stressed the need for coordinated efforts to hammer out
joint stands in support of the Palestinians and the peace process, another Royal
Court statement said.
In the meeting with Petraeus, the commander briefed the King on the security
situation in Iraq, the statement said.