Jordan Times
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
‘Unilateral measures have
failed’
AMMAN (JT) - His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday said that achieving peace in
the Middle East needs the engagement of parties in negotiations on clearly
defined bases and fixed timeframes, adding that unilateral measures have failed
to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
King Abdullah stressed during a meeting with US President George W. Bush at the
White House that Israeli policies of siege and use of military force would only
deepen the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and threatens to waste
years of negotiations for peace.
The King said the peace to which Arabs aspire is based on restoring the
Palestinian people's legitimate rights, foremost of which is the establishment
of an independent state on the Palestinian soil as part of a two-state solution.
He added that the Arab Peace Initiative constitutes the basis for settling the
Arab-Israeli conflict.
The peace proposal, launched in the Arab summit in Beirut in 2002 and renewed at
the Riyadh summit last year, offers Israel full normal ties in return for its
withdrawal from the Arab lands it occupied in 1967.
King Abdullah expressed appreciation for Bush's commitment to working with the
Palestinians and Israelis to reach an agreement before the end of the year that
addresses final status issues as agreed in the November Annapolis peace meeting.
The King and the president discussed efforts by US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, who is on a tour of the Middle East. King Abdullah urged the
US administration to intensify international support for the peace process.
The King emphasised the importance of supporting the Palestinian Authority in
its endeavours to ease the difficult living conditions facing the Palestinian
people, noting that improving the life of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip should be the key target of all parties.
The two leaders also discussed Lebanon's political crisis, with His Majesty
renewing Jordan’s support for the Arab League initiative to end the crisis,
which calls for the swift election of a president.
They also addressed efforts to achieve national reconciliation in Iraq and to
ensure the country's security, stability and sovereignty.
King Abdullah and Bush discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties, particularly
in the economic field.
The King expressed appreciation for the president's efforts in that regard and
for US assistance to Jordan that plays a major role in supporting the national
economy and strengthening development.
Following the meeting, President Bush and US First Lady Laura Bush hosted a
lunch banquet for Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania.
In remarks to reporters after the meeting, the King said he was very pleased
with the continued commitment that President Bush has to solve the Middle East
issue, adding that he was looking to the US to help achieve a peace that will
set the region in the right direction.
On Lebanon, the King said he and Bush discussed the role of Arab countries in
supporting the political process in this Arab country.
Bush voiced appreciation for the King’s “firmness when it comes to dealing with
terror and extremism. We appreciate the heart when it comes to people”.
He stressed that the US will remain engaged in helping both the Palestinians and
Israelis move ahead with the peace process, adding that “now is the time to
formulate a vision of what a [Palestinian] state will look like” and to reach
agreement on borders, the right of Palestinians to return and other final status
issues.
Commenting on Palestinain President Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to halt talks with
Israel, Bush said: “This is a process that… always has two steps forward and one
step back. We just got to make sure that it's only one step back”. He said the
US’ role is to help both parties define a vision so that a state can come into
being after conditions are met. “And I said a state has got to be continuous - a
contiguous territory”.
The US leader said his country cannot impose peace on leaders, but can help them
“come to the table and make hard decisions. We can help facilitate the bridging
of gaps, if there are gaps. And that's exactly what our diplomacy is in the
process of doing”.
Here lies the importance of the role played by King Abdullah and Saudi Monarch
Abdullah, along with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, in supporting the Arab
world to make tough decisions, Bush told reporters.
He said he discussed with the King stability in Iraq and its importance to
Jordan. “We talked about a common strategy about how to make sure that those
citizens ended up hopefully going home to Iraq as the security situation
improved.”
Also Tuesday, King Abdullah and US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates reviewed
bilateral relations and prospects to promote them, especially in the field of
defence.
The Monarch and Gates also examined the latest regional political developments.