Jordan's king presses Bush on Middle East peace

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush on Tuesday met privately with Jordan's King Abdullah who pressed him to intensify U.S. efforts to jump-start peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

The two dined in the residence at the White House a week after Bush unveiled plans for a Middle East peace conference aimed at breaking the stalemate plaguing the region for years. The meeting will be held later this year in the United States.

"King Abdullah urged the U.S. to intensify its efforts in the coming weeks and months, particularly after Bush's recent call for an international meeting to advance the peace process," the Jordanian embassy said in a statement.

Bush has promoted a two-state solution but numerous issues and problems have stymied those efforts. And last month's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas militants has added new complications to peace plans.

"He remains committed to two states, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said after Bush's dinner with the close U.S. ally.

At the meeting, Abdullah also urged Israel to take steps to build confidence that it was serious about peace, including ending all settlement activities as well as relaxing restrictions on the movement of Palestinians.

"The King said that a just and comprehensive peace to which the Arab people aspire should emanate from a solution that addresses all outstanding issues between the Palestinians and Israel, including final status issues," the statement said.

Roughly 18 months before Bush's term in office ends, U.S. allies such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt want the U.S. president to get more involved in helping broker peace in the Middle East.