King, Abbas discuss peace efforts as US delegates start tour

AMMAN  — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday discussed with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas over the phone efforts aimed at pushing forward the peace process.

The phone conversation came within the framework of continuous coordination between the two sides, a Royal Court statement said.

The two leaders went over efforts to relaunch the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis on the basis of the two-state solution, particularly in the light of the visit of Jared Kushner, the senior adviser to the President of the United States, and a US administration delegation to the region.

His Majesty met Tuesday with Kushner, who was accompanied by Jason Greenblatt, executive vice president and United States special representative for international negotiations, and Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategy to President Donald Trump Dina Powell. 

Discussions covered mechanisms of boosting the strategic partnership between Jordan and the US and continued coordination between the two countries, along with regional developments, according to the Royal Court. 

Talks focused on efforts to push forward the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and relaunch serious and effective negotiations between the two sides based on the two-state solution, which is the only way to end the conflict.

His Majesty stressed the pivotal role of the US, underlining President Trump’s commitment to working for a peace agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis. 

The US delegation was in Egypt Wednesday, where they met Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Wednesday.
President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi also met with the delegation, his spokesman Alaa Youssef told Agence France-Presse.
The presidency and foreign ministry, in statements after the meetings, said the talks focused on efforts to boost bilateral ties and reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, without mention of the aid cuts.