His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday warned that continued Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip will aggravate the suffering of Palestinians and add to the escalation and tension in the region.

During talks here with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the King called for intensive efforts to pave the way for the resumption of the peace process and a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, pointing to the role of the UK in achieving that end.

The King and Blair reiterated that the proposed two-state solution, which is in line with the Arab Peace Initiative, guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that lives in peace and security with Israel.

They said such a solution was key to Middle East.

On Iraq, both sides said they supported government efforts to establish peace and preserve the unity and coherence of the country. They added that such a goal would not be achieved unless all Iraqis are involved in the ongoing political process. The King and Blair also discussed bilateral relations.

Earlier in the day, King Abdullah met with British Chancellor Gordon Brown for talks on means to enhance bilateral ties. The King briefed Brown on Jordan's reform process.

He said he appreciated a British government decision to increase the percentage of debt swap between the two countries from 30 to 40 per cent within Paris Club of creditor nations. The UK is Jordan's third largest creditor.

King Abdullah also reviewed the outcome of the recent G-11 summit meeting in New York, voicing hope that the group, which was formed on a 2005 initiative by the King to mobilize support for low and medium income countries, would be backed by G-8 countries in their coming meeting.

The Jordan Times