King Abdullah: American policy is Naive; Jordan working behind the scene for settlement

King Abdullah II of Jordan has described Washington's foreign policy as Naive and lacks cultural sensitivity "despite the fact that President George Bush is committed to achieve peace in the Middle East."

The king said "apart from the American policies, the President is committed to the peace process, but unfortunately the US is Naive to a certain extent or lacks cultural sensitivity which they are in need of, not only in regard to our Arab world."

In a speech he delivered in which he took part during his second day's official visit to Sweden, the king added "there is a perception in the Middle East that the US is biased against the Arabs and the Palestinians" and that Jordan is "working behind the scene "to settle the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, but these efforts to achieve peace are blocked because of extremists on both sides who spoil things."

He said that the escalation of violence means that "the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are spending a lot of time exchanging accusations," instead of working to enforce the agreed upon peace between the two sides through the implementation of the Roadmap plan.