Abdullah, Arafat Calls for US Role to Follow up Mitchell Report

Jordanian King Abdullah Bin Hussein and visiting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Thursday called for a direct U.S. role to implement the recommendations of the Mitchell report to end nearly eight months of bloody Israeli- Palestinian conflicts.

During their meeting here, Abdullah and Arafat welcomed the recommendations of the Mitchell report and stressed the need to find a mechanism to ensure implementation of the proposals, Jordan's official news agency Petra reported.

Both leaders welcomed the U.S. endorsement of the report, and called for a direct American role to carry out its recommendations, Petra said.

During the meeting, Abdullah reiterated the need for an immediate end of Israeli aggression, siege and blockade against the Palestinians and to abide by relevant international resolutions to pave the way for a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

Abdullah and Arafat also praised efforts by the European Union for supporting the proposals in the Mitchell report, which are aimed at ending the deterioration in the Palestinian territories and resuming the peace process in the region.

Arafat arrived in Amman earlier in the day as part of his regular consultations with Abdullah over major developments in the fragile Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

The Mitchell report, prepared and made public by a five-member international committee led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, calls on Israel and the Palestinians to halt violence immediately, take confidence-building measures and resume peace talks.

Among others, the report urges Israel to stop its settlement activities on occupied lands, and the Palestinians to step up its actions against terrorist attacks on Israeli targets.

Over 550 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed in nearly eight months of Israeli-Palestinian conflicts.






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