Bush Expected to Give Jordan Letter of Assurances

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush is expected to give Jordan's King Abdullah a letter on Thursday saying Palestinians and Israelis must negotiate key issues despite his recent assurances to Israel, U.S. officials said.

Bush delighted Israelis and enraged Palestinians last month when he wrote Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a letter saying Israel could not be expected to give up all its settlements or accept the return of Palestinian refugees.

Bush's stance was seen by Palestinians as having bargained away two central and highly emotive issues that should have been theirs to negotiate with Israel.

To mend fences with Abdullah, who last month abruptly canceled plans to visit Washington after the U.S. president's letter to Sharon, Bush is expected to give the king a formal letter saying the parties must negotiate the issues.
~snip~
more: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5053530

[pinto]

1. Busboy lies to one of them........ n/t

[dedhed]

2. Yeah, right... but Kerry's the flip-flopper?!? n/t

[maddezmom]

3. bush* proves day in and say out his word is worth nothing n/t

[asjr]

4. Abdullah will be polite and courteous, but I would bet

underneath he will be seething. No one can trust GW's word vocally or on paper. Abdullah is smart enough to know this. My God, when will we be free of this black mark on our country!

[maddezmom]

5. more info on meeting - King Abdullah II of Jordan Visits Bush

~snip~
In the days leading up to Abdullah's visit, Jordanian and Bush administration officials discussed the king's request for a written statement that Palestinians who have lost homes and land would be compensated as part of an overall agreement with Israel.


Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) had breakfast with the king Thursday at his hotel before the White House meeting. They discussed Iraq (news - web sites), Mideast peace efforts and U.S. relations with Jordan, a senior U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.


There was no word on whether Abdullah would get a statement on compensation, but on Wednesday Powell told reporters without elaboration: "I think the king will be pleased."
~snip~

Powell told reporters he believed Israel ultimately would approve a proposal by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) to withdraw all Israeli troops and all 7,500 Jewish settlers from Gaza and to pull back on the West Bank, as well.

~snip~
more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=1&u=/ap/20040506/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_mideast

[amber dog democrat]

6. And who believes Bush keeps his word?

Bush lies.

Period.

[SOS]

7. Sidenote

Jordanians with favorable view of US in 2002: 52%

Jordanians with favorable view of US in 2004: 4%

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0403/S00321.htm

[maddezmom]

8. bush and King Abdullah on CNNI now

press conference...will be interesting to hear the King's response. bush sounds defeated and tired. :)

[maddezmom]

9. Bush on the photos - "the wrong-doers will be brought to justice"

would they be equal to evil-doers?