Chirac meets King Abdullah in Paris
Jordan-France, Politics, 10/2/2003

The Jordanian King Abdulah II who paid a visit to Paris where he had held talks with the French President Jack Chirac called for an Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian effort to give the roadmap a push forward without waiting for the Americans who are preoccupied in the coming presidential elections.

The King also urged French companies to deal with Jordan because it is the "main entrance for French and European investment to Iraq and proposed the Jordanian port al-Aqaba to be an alternative for the Iraqi Um al-Qaser port."

In an interview with the French TV on Tuesday, Abdulah said "it is not possible at the meantime ( for the US President George W. Bush) to exert effort, and therefore we have, the Jordanians, the Israelis and the Palestinians and part of the international community, revive the roadmap and achieve something tangible so as to ensure quickly to the American President ways of committing to the peace process and thereby its success."

Abdullah made these statements replying a question whether it is possible to reach a Palestinian- Israeli agreement concerning the implementation of the roadmap -- 13 months before the American presidential elections.

Concerning Iraq, Abdullah said he is confident that an agreement will be reached "in the near future" at the UN security council to expand the role played by the international community in Iraq. He continued "the positive matter is that the Americans have, at last, decided to give a role to the UN and the international community and the Europeans." After their talks at the Elysee palace yesterday, King Abdullah described his meeting with President Chirac as "very fruitful," adding that the visit "is his best to Paris, and the best in exchanging view points concerning the Middle East questions."

For his part, Chirac said that the two countries have the same preoccupation concerning the issues of Iraq and Iran, according to the spokeswoman for the French Presidency Catherine Colonna.

Colonna said that Chirac and Abdullah considered concerning the Middle East issue that "there is no alternative for the roadmap and that it is thereby appropriate to implement this plan and that every side in the Quartet to exert own efforts to this end."

In a meeting with owners of French companies in Paris organized by businessmen association, the Jordanian King said that his country is the "main entrance for French and European investment to Iraq in the context of rebuilding this country, considering that everything will be quicker in Iraq when a government is established and institutions are built." Abdullah explained "we have the infrastructure in the field of transport to Iraq. We have established a free trade area on the border with this country," considering for example that the Jordanian port of al-Aqaba might play a great role in boosting trade with Iraq because the port of Um Qaser in Iraqi was destroyed.

Previous Stories:
  Jordanian king to visit Paris   (9/1/2003)
  Jordan and Chirac's call to bring together, the Palestinians and the Israelis   (11/16/2001)
  Jordanian Premier confers with French official   (7/10/2001)

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