Jordan's King Abdullah, President Bush Meet at White House

Jordan's King Abdullah has told U.S. President George Bush that negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis should be based on clear grounds and fixed time frames.

The king met with Mr. Bush Wednesday at the White House for a private breakfast. Mr. Bush also is hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas this week.

Jordan's embassy in Washington says the king called on all parties to honor commitments and build on what was agreed upon at a Middle East summit late last year in Annapolis, Maryland near Washington.

King Abdullah has supported the Bush administration's effort to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before the president's term ends early next year.

The embassy says the king stressed the importance of U.S. support of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the coming months.

It says King Abdullah said it is important that Israel refrain from measures that would jeopardize negotiations. It says he called for an end to all Israeli settlement activities and for the lifting of the blockade and restrictions on the movement of Palestinians.

Palestinian President Abbas meets later today with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza. He meets Thursday with President Bush.

Mr. Abbas recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss a proposed peace conference to be hosted by the Kremlin.

Mr. Bush is set to visit the Middle East next month.


Some information for this report was provided by AFP, and AP.