His Majesty King Abdullah II on Monday said it is high time to implement the "road map" and establish the independent Palestinian state within a three-year period under the provisions included in the map.

During talks with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, King Abdullah said U.S. President George Bush's commitment to set up a Palestinian state within the coming three years serves as an incentive to all parties to reach just and comprehensive peace in the region.

The King stressed the necessity to start the practical procedures that guarantee the implementation of the road map as one whole package and not in a selective approach. King Abdullah described the ongoing efforts to push the peace process forward as positive and they offer a significant opportunity to realize peace on the basis of the Security Council resolutions and the Arab peace initiative.

Powell, who arrived in Amman earlier on the day in the course of a regional tour, renewed the U.S. commitment to establish the Palestinian state, end the Israeli occupation and to stop building Israeli settlements. He said his talks with leaders in the region, including the Palestinians and the Israelis focused on the necessity to find out a rapid mechanism to implement the road map.

Powell, who arrived in Amman from Cairo and has already visited the Palestinian areas and Israel, added he listened to remarks put forward by the Palestinians and Israelis concerning the road map, noting that the U.S. would exert extra efforts to bring the parties back to the negotiation table and reach comprehensive peace in the region

The talks, attended by the Prime Minister, the Royal Court Minister, Royal Court Chief and Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Planning, dealt with situation in Iraq where His Majesty King Abdullah underlined the necessity to speed up the procedures to form an Iraqi national government that take control of the situation in Iraq.

Priority should be given to restoring security and stability in Iraq and bringing in aids that meet urgent needs of the Iraqi people. The talks also covered Jordanian-U.S. relations in political, economic and military spheres. The King appreciated U.S. assistance to Jordan describing as a key factor to back the Kingdom's economic development.

Attending the talks were U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Edward Gnehm, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns and the delegation accompanying Powell.