King urges Palestinians to close ranks as Rice begins Mideast tour

13 January 2007
Amman , Jordan

His Majesty King Abdullah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held talks Saturday in Amman as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice embarked on a fresh effort to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.

King Abdullah and Abbas reviewed Arab and international efforts to overcome obstacles facing peace, and the King said the Palestinians should focus on strengthening their internal front.

“This would help Palestinian peace negotiators restore their legitimate rights in line with international resolutions and the two-state solution,” the King told Abbas.

King Abdullah said also that the Arab Peace Initiative was a “practical and logical framework” to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

On Sunday, Rice was to travel to Ramallah to talk with Abbas, then to Jordan for a meeting with King Abdullah late Sunday, before returning to Jerusalem for talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday.

The Jordan Times