U.S. President Bush to meet Jordan king next week
Source: Reuters
AMMAN, July 20 (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah will meet U.S. President George W. Bush next week in Washington to push forward a U.S. plan to reinvigorate Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking, officials said on Friday. Palace officials said the surprise visit by the staunch U.S. ally to the White House on Tuesday would focus on efforts to broaden support for Bush's call on Monday for a Middle East peace conference later in the year, probably in the United States. They say the pro-Western monarch was heartened by Bush's new plan to revive peace moves leading to the goal of an Arab-Israeli settlement based on two states, Israel and Palestine -- an aim sought by Arab moderates. Jordan, along with key U.S. allies in the region such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, has long wanted Bush to become more involved in Middle East peacemaking. He is due to leave office in 18 months. The king is spearheading an Arab campaign to get Israel to accept a plan offering a sweeping land-for-peace initiative and has long sought an international meeting that brings together Israel, moderate Palestinian leaders and their Arab neighbours. Jordan, which hosts the largest number of Palestinians outside the West Bank and Gaza, fears time is running out because of rising Iranian influence and the spread of Islamic fundamentalism that has brought more regional instability. It is years since Israel and the Palestinians last discussed issues at the root of the conflict -- final borders of a Palestinian state, the return of refugees and the status of Jerusalem.
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