King Opens Talks with Blair

Amman
04 January 2004

His Majesty King Abdullah II and British Prime Minister Tony Blair opened talks Sunday focusing on the Middle East peace process and the future of Iraq.



King Abdullah stressed the necessity to revive the peace process and exert every possible effort to end the cycle of violence in the Palestinian areas.



Escalating Israeli practices against Palestinians including incursions in towns, demolition of home and the building of the separation wall would further increase tension and violence in the region, King Abdullah said during the meeting which was attended by Prime Minister, Royal Court Minister, Foreign Minister and the British Ambassador to Jordan.



Blair arrived in Amman from Iraq on a brief visit to Jordan. King Abdullah also called for speeding up measures and practical steps to give Iraqis more power and to pave the ground for granting them full independence and freedom to be able to choose their elected national government that represents all Iraqis and to build their own future.



Blair left Amman later on the day following a visit to the region during which he inspected British troops deployed in Basra, Iraq.