His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday briefed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the outcome of his recent talks with top US officials in Washington, DC.

During a several-day working visit to the US which concluded last week, King Abdullah also met with President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and congressional leaders. The King also discussed regional developments and bilateral ties with Republican presidential candidate John McCain and Democratic hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Abbas outlined the latest developments in the Palestinian arena and the outcome of his last week's meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was working with both parties to the conflict to ensure the resumption of negotiations. Abbas had announced a halt to peace talks in reaction to the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, in which dozens of civilians were killed.

King Abdullah reiterated his condemnation of the Israeli aggression, and urged Palestinian unity under the circumstances.

The King renewed Jordan's backing for all regional and international efforts to help Palestinians and Israelis resume negotiations and find solutions to all final status issues within a clear and fixed timeframe.

He said the key to peace and stability in the region is a just and permanent political settlement of the Mideast conflict that leads to an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

King Abdullah renewed his opposition to unilateral measures, especially Israel's plans to resume settlement activity in the West Bank, which, he said, hampers the peace process. He expressed Jordan's concern over the living conditions of the Palestinians as a result of the Israel-imposed blockade in Gaza and its serious repercussions on daily life.

King Abdullah said Jordan will keep its channels of communication open with the international communication to help bring an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people and channel relief to alleviate economic hardships.

In remarks to the press following the meeting, Abbas said he discussed with King Abdullah the Palestinians' internal situation and the proposed truce between Hamas and Israel.