President Mahmoud Abbas applauded King Abdullah II of Jordan’s visit to Ramallah on Monday, after a brief surprise trip by the royal.
Abbas told reporters in Ramallah that King Abdullah’s visit was "great," after the leaders met at the presidential compound and the king returned to Jordan.
"It is a noble initiative at this time, and we will never forget it, neither will our future generations," Abbas said, official Palestinian Authority news agency Wafa reported.
The two leaders "met to follow up with the ongoing dialogue, especially as King Abdullah is scheduled to visit the US and European countries," Abbas added.
Jordan’s official Petra news agency had said earlier that the king’s visit would boost efforts to "achieve peace" and create an independent state.
Palestinian leaders will also visit a number of Arab countries to discuss reconciliation and other issues, President Abbas said.
He told reporters that the PA is ready to resume negotiations if Israel halts settlement activities and recognizes all international terms of reference.
These are not preconditions, he said, but rather commitments to treaties signed between the Palestinians and Israelis.
There is no indication that negotiations will be resumed soon, the president added.
When reporters asked about relations between Jordan and Fatah-rivals Hamas, the president insisted that Palestine would not interfere in Jordan’s policies.
"The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has its own sovereignty, its own rights and policies, and we do not have any reservations about what they choose to do. Whatever Jordan says is for its own interest is acceptable to us a hundred percent," he said.
Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki and his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Jawda held a joint press conference in Ramallah after the meeting.
Jawda said the king’s visit was in support of the PA efforts to "establish an independent state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital."
The Palestinian cause and statehood is entirely supported by Jordan, he added.
(Ma’an News)
