Rice, Abbas Hold Separate Talks With Jordan's Monarch
20 February 2007
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Jordan where she met Tuesday with King Abdullah, following her talks Monday with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Jerusalem.
Rice also met Tuesday with the security chiefs of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
Those talks are aimed at bolstering the moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and bringing the ruling Hamas group towards acceptance of international demands such as recognizing Israel.
Earlier this month, Mr. Abbas's Fatah faction and the Islamic group reached agreement on a unity government. But the accord does not require Hamas to recognize Israel or renounce violence, key U.S. and Israeli demands.
Saudi Arabia's national security chief, Bandar Bin Sultan, attended Tuesday's meeting with Rice. Saudi Arabia hosted the Palestinian unity conference that led to the power-sharing deal.
On Monday, Rice said the Arab states should play a role in reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
The Palestinian president is also in Amman, seeking support for the unity deal. He is also meeting today with the Jordanian monarch.
Mr. Abbas then travels to Europe to seek support from France, Germany and Britain. The International Quartet of the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations has called on the Palestinian government to recognize Israel, renounce violence, and accept prior agreements.
Rice is to attend a meeting of the International Quartet on Wednesday in Berlin.
On Monday, Rice held a three-way meeting in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Mr. Abbas. She said both reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution to the Mideast conflict. But she did not report a breakthrough in reviving peace talks.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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