Rice holds meetings in Jordan
King Abdullah urges US to step up its involvement in Middle East peace process.
Arab initiative
After Monday’s summit with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, Rice told a news conference that the two sides had reaffirmed their commitment to peace and previous agreements.
Your Views |
“The land of Israel belongs to both Jews and Palestinians – as long as there are people who reject this fact, the conflict will never be solved” Iskander, Boston, USA |
“I also want the Quartet to play a political role. I plan to sit and strategise with them about how we do that.”
Abbas argued on Monday that the unity government deal reached with the ruling Hamas party includes implicit recognition of these conditions and formally authorises him to negotiate with Israel.
The Palestinian president met King Abdullah on Tuesday before a trip to Europe to garner support for the unity government.
‘Diplomatic efforts’
“Jordan will step up diplomatic efforts in the coming phase to win international support to end the embargo imposed on the Palestinians and strengthen the position of the Palestinian negotiatior.”
King Abdullah also spoke to Olmert by telephone calling on Israel to “contribute to reviving the peace process with the Palestinians and overcome all the obstacles”.
“The meeting tried to create a political horizon, but instead underlined the fact that there was no political horizon.”
Rice was met security and intelligence chiefs from the so-called Arab Quartet – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan – to discuss Israeli-Palestinian issues, a senior state department official said.
Only the ‘promotion of dialogue’ came out of Rice’s meeting in Jordan [EPA] |
“We will be discussing the national unity government, what that means, particularly as that was brought in under Saudi sponsorship, and what we are trying to do with the trilateral,” the official said before the meeting.
Speaking after the summit at a meeting with politicians from his Kadima Party, Olmert said he would maintain contact with Abbas, despite his dissatisfaction with the incoming unity government.