King Abdullah postpones meeting with Bush
Jordan-USA, Politics, 4/20/2004

Jordan's King Abdullah II postponed a meeting which was due with the US President George W. Bush in Washington tomorrow ( Wednesday ) to the first week of May. This was, however, because of inquiries over the American commitment to the peace process.

The American administration underestimated the importance of the matter, denying any difference and indicated that the "King decided that it is better for him to be in Jordan and we do understand that." A high ranking official at the American administration said that King Abdullah decided to postpone the meeting which were due today with the US secretary of sate Colin Powell. The official continued that the "talks were postponed at the request of the King because of the annoying conditions prevailing currently in the region." The Jordanian Royal Palace in Amman issued a statement in which it explained that the meeting was postponed "until the end of negotiations and deliberations with officials in the US administration to explain the American position over the peace march and the final status of the Palestinian territories especially in light of recent statements made by officials at the US administration." The statement did not set a date for King Abdullah's departure from the US back to Amman.

The statement indicated that King Abdullah asked the Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher to stay in Washington to continue his meetings and discussions with officials in the American administration and in order to prepare for his next visit.

The statement said that King Abdullah had sent a message on April 8 to President Bush in which he stressed the Jordanian position towards means of ending the Palestinian- Israeli conflict through implementation of the Roadmap. Abdullah said in the message that an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza should be part of the " Roadmap" and not an alternative for it.

The message read that "Jordan considers the content of the message of his majesty the King to Bush includes important elements to continue discussions between the American and Jordanian sides."

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