King Abdullah and the Middle East peace process

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday in Amman said he is determined to work to create a positive atmosphere between Syria and Israel in order to resume peace negotiations.

In a meeting with foreign correspondents in Jordan, the Jordanian King expressed his ambitions that the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Sharaa will visit Amman in the near future, at a time when the Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak will visit Amman on Sunday.

King Abdullah added " I think a solution will be reached this year, hopefully it will be before the end of the first half of the current year." He indicated that he had discussed with the Israeli officials over the question of Israel's occupation of the Syrian Golan and said to them "Leave the Golan heights to win the whole Arab world."

The Jordanian King added " if they (Israelis) will be faithful to peace, the whole region will be open for them."