His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday urged Muslim leaders and clerics in the US to continue their efforts to spell out the true image of Islam and its international message of tolerance and moderation.



During a meeting with Muslim American leaders at the Islamic Centre in Washington, King Abdullah said Muslim communities in the West play a key role to reflect Islam's values of understanding and coexistence.



The King added that American Muslims are ambassadors of the Islamic world and they, as individuals and institutions, should embody the noble humanitarian values of Islam.



The Monarch briefed the Muslim leaders on Jordan's efforts to defend Islam and brush off negative perception in the West as a result of the practices of extremist groups.



He referred to the Amman Message and the recent international Islamic conference hosted by Jordan, saying that the document and the gathering constitute a solid basis for a continued interfaith and intra-Islamic dialogue.



The King said Al al Bayt University offers several scholarships to Islamic organisations in Western societies to study Arabic language and Sharia.



The Islamic Centre in Washington, which was opened in 1957, includes a mosque and a library.



Also on Tuesday, the King held talks in Washington with US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld on bilateral ties and developments in Iraq.



Earlier, King Abdullah met in New York with US Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), Senator John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky).



During the meeting, the King urged the US administration to continue its support for the peace process to help create a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.



He said Washington should help the Palestinians and the Israelis fully implement the roadmap.



King Abdullah also urged the international community to support the Palestinian Authority to control territories from which Israel has withdrawn. Aid is also needed, he said, to help the Palestinians build civil society institutions, implement economic programmes and create jobs in Gaza, where the unemployment rate is high.



King Abdullah also met with Senate Appropriations Committee head Thad Cochrane (R-Mississippi) and members of the committee to discuss bilateral relations and ways to enhance them.

The Jordan Times