Jordan's king meets Mitchel, urges serious peace talks (Roundup)

Jan 31, 2009, 15:52 GMT

Amman - Jordan's King Abdullah II conferred Saturday with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and called for 'serious and effective' peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians that lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, the royal court said.

Emphasizing the importance of the two-state solution, 'King Abdullah asserted that the setting up of an independent Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil in accordance with international ... resolutions and the Arab peace initiative is a pre-requisite for the attainment of security for all (peoples) in the region,' the royal court statement said.

The Jordanian leader praised as a 'positive initiative' US President Barack Obama's commitment to establish peace in the Middle East and build up ties with the Arab and Islamic worlds 'on the basis of mutual respect and joint interests.'

Earlier in the day, Mitchell held a separate meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Salah Bashir during which the US envoy said the new US administration would make the Middle East peace process a 'priority.'

Mitchell visited Jordan in the course of a regional tour that also took him to Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian territories. He was also scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia before flying to Europe.