San Francisco, 16/4/2004, (Communication & Information Division - Royal Hashemite Court) - His Majesty King Abdullah II on Thursday arrived to San Francisco at the beginning of a three day working visit to US, that includes a meeting, next Wednesday, in Washington with US President George Bush.
During the expected meeting His Majesty is due to stress the Jordanian stand regarding means to end the Palestinian Israeli conflict through implementation of the road map which includes establishment of independent Palestinian state side by side with Israel, the issue which His Majesty stressed last Sunday in his letter to President Bush.
The King is expected also to stress the necessity that withdrawal from Gaza should be part of the road map rather than an alternative to it.
During His Majesty's visit to Washington, King Abduullah is expected to ddiscuss with American Vice President Dick Cheney, and Secretary of State Collin Powell moving the peace process, in addition to and the current situations in Iraq.
The King's talks are expected also to focus on bilateral relations , particularly in the economic and investment fields.
His Majesty is expected to meet with a number of leaders and members of the Senate and Congress to discuss supporting the peace process efforts and the American aid to Jordan.
Upon the King's arrival to US, Wall Street Journal published His Majesty's article ''Reform is our Priority'', where he stressed that reform process has already begun in the Arab world. He pointed out to Jordan as a model in this process that touches on political and economic issues.
Most Arabs, His Majesty said, agree on reform and the necessity to proceed from inside in order to secure its success. He pointed out that there are uncertainties towards the causes that stimule the West to push the reform process forward.
Dignity, equality and respect of mind, and law, as well as tolerance and personal responsibility are the real values of Islam that push towards a new dawn of progress in the Middle East, His Majesty wrote.
His Majesty stressed that reform will not succeed unless the Palestinian issue is solved.
His Majesty is expected Friday to meet with editing board of San Francisco Chronicle. In Washington he is going to meet with editing board of The Washington Post. CNN Larry King and NBC Tom Bucao are expected to interview His Majesty.
The King is expected Friday to address the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, which celebrates its 100th anniversary. He is going also to give a speech to the National Press Council in Washington.
His Majesty is accompanied by four Jordanian students who excelled in the Jordanian universities, and are to participate in the King's meetings and activities. Such initiative comes within His Majesty's endeavor to enhance Jordan as a model in enabling youth to actively participate in all fields and cement their role in the Jordanian society.