His Majesty King Abdullah II affirmed on Monday, during a meeting with the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, that the Aqaba summit which will be held with the participation of the US President George Bush and the Palestinian and Israeli prime ministers, is a serious step on the path of implementing and following up items of the roadmap.

During the meeting which was attended by Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb, Royal Court Minister Faisal Al Fayez and the Palestinian Cabinet Affairs Minister Yasser Abid Rabbo, the King said that the Arab peace initiative is one of the pillars of the roadmap which received the support of the international community. "The roadmap forms a genuine and historical opportunity to achieve peace, security and stability for the region's countries in addition to establishing a Palestinian state in three years," he added.

King Abdullah stressed Jordan's full support to the new Palestinian government and its efforts to serve the Palestinian people and its just cause. He also expressed support for efforts that aim at reaching a just, comprehensive and permanent solution for the Palestinian issue. The Palestinian prime minister for his part hailed His Majesty's support to the Palestinian people, their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on their national soil.

He also highly valued Jordan's supportive stand to the Palestinians on the regional and international levels.

Abbas affirmed that the Palestinian leadership is committed to implementing what is required from the Palestinian side in the roadmap and he called on Israel to be committed to the roadmap.