Jordan's King
Abdullah II met with President George W. Bush on Wednesday, and said that stalled negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel should
be based on "clear grounds and fixed timetables" as the United States pushes for reaching a Middle East peace agreement by next January.
Ambitious Abbas
Abbas wants 'framework agreement' before Bush ends term / AFP
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas heads to Washington to try and push peace negotiations with Israel. Treaty possible before year's end, he says but any deal would have to be put to Palestinian referendum
"King Abdullah said it is important that Israel refrains from measures that would jeopardize negotiations with the Palestinians and called for an end to all Israeli settlement activities, a lifting of the blockade and restrictions on the movement of Palestinians," The Jordanian Embassy said.
Bush, beginning two days of Mideast diplomacy at the White House, met with the king over breakfast. Later, Abdullah met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
who also came to Washington to see Bush. Abbas is seeking US help to move things forward, his spokesman said.
"The gaps are still there," Abbas' spokesman Abu Rudeina said. "The Palestinian and Israeli positions are still far from each other. That requires American intervention." Abbas has expressed a desire to achieve a framework peace agreement by January 2009 with timetables and specifics leading to the creation of a Palestinian state and not just a "declaration of principles" as suggested by some Israel officials, he added.
Prelude to Bush's Israel trip
Abbas, on his way to Washington Tuesday, told traveling reporters he would focus his talks with Bush on achieving a real deal and not just promises. "We seek a framework agreement that includes all the core issues and how these core issues will be resolved - and ending with the establishment of a Palestinian independent state," Abbas told reporters.
The White House meetings are a prelude to next month's trip by Bush to Israel to participate in the 60th anniversary celebrations. He also is expected to visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Before Bush's trip, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to travel to Israel and the West Bank after attending a Palestinian donors' conference that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will host in London on May 2.
Officials said the administration, which has already pledged $555 million to the Palestinians this year, was looking at slight increases to announce at the conference, but that a major boost in aid was unlikely, as Congress has not yet approved the budget.
RSS
