Amman - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia arrived in Amman
Wednesday on a two-day visit to Jordan where he was set to hold talks
with Jordanian King Abdullah II on the latest developments in the
Middle East, foremost the Palestinian rift since Hamas' takeover of
the Gaza Strip two weeks ago.
The Saudi monarch was accorded an exceptionally tumultuous welcome
that was led by King Abdullah and senior government officials.
Thousands of people lined the street from the airport to the royal
palace to salute the prominent Saudi guest, who was accompanied by a
powerful government delegation including Foreign Minister Prince Saud
al-Faisal.
Ways of healing Palestinian division and re-launching the
Arab-Israeli peace process on the basis of the Arab peace initiative
are expected to top the Saudi-Jordanian summit talks later in the
day, officials and diplomats said.
They expected Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak's call for
immediate dialogue between Hamas and Fatah to receive backing from
both the Saudi and Jordanian heads of state during their talks.
A meeting was also widely expected to take place between the Saudi
monarch and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who is due to
arrive in Amman this evening, according to the Palestinian ambassador
to Jordan Atallah Khairy.
In an interview with the Jordanian daily newspaper al-Rai
published Wednesday, the Saudi king issued an impassioned appeal to
the feuding Palestinian factions to resolve their differences.
He warned that the Palestinian split would only thwart the
establishment of an independent Palestinian state and benefit Israel
'which usurps Palestinian land.'
King Abdullah said that during his recent European tour, he won
backing for the Arab peace plan from France, Spain and Poland.
'We hope that other influential states will follow the steps of
these countries in supporting the Arab peace initiative,' the Saudi
monarch said, alluding to the United States which has so far failed
to back the Arab document.
The Arab blueprint envisages extending recognition to Israel by
all Arab states after it pulls out from all Arab areas it occupied in
the 1967 war, including East Jerusalem, and finding 'an acceptable'
solution for the problem of Palestinian refugees.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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