King Abdullah of Jordan and Brown discuss Mideast, Iraq

Nov 8, 2007, 13:00 GMT

London - King Abdullah II of Jordan and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown discussed the forthcoming US-sponsored Middle East peace conference and the conflict in Iraq during a meeting in London, officials said Thursday.

The talks, which were followed by a dinner banquet Wednesday evening, were the highlight of a three-day private visit by the King and his wife, Queen Rania Al Abdullah, to Britain.

A statement released by the Jordanian embassy said King Abdullah had stressed that the upcoming conference in Annapolis, Maryland, should be a real 'starting point for negotiations within a specified timeframe.'

The international meeting should address final status issues, which, once resolved, would end the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis and establish a viable independent Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel, said the statement.

The two men also discussed ways to support the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and alleviate the 'difficult living conditions of the Palestinian people.'

In this regard, King Abdullah urged the international community to provide the support needed by the PNA to strengthen institutions and improve the services it provides to Palestinians.

The king emphasized the need to advance efforts to achieve national reconciliation in Iraq, adding that this process must be inclusive in order to succeed.

According to the statement, France will host a conference at the end of the year for donor countries to garner international political and financial support for the PNA.

Britain's former leader Tony Blair, who is now the special envoy of the so-called Middle East Quartet, is due to attend the conference.

King Abdullah also thanked Britain for its support of Jordanian efforts to ease its current external debt burden of more than 7 billion dollars, and urged the London government to back the 'establishment of an effective partnership between the G8 and G11 countries.'