Israeli pullout should be part of roadmap plan: Jordanian king

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, April 01, 2004

Israeli pullout should be part of roadmap plan: Jordanian king

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Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed on Wednesday that an Israeli pullout of the Gaza Strip should be part of the roadmap plan and a prelude to a full-scale withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories.

King Abdullah made the remarks during a meeting with visiting US deputy national security advisor Stephen Hadley, a royal court statement said.

The king highlighted the need for the Israeli move to lead to an independent Palestinian state in the Middle East, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Jordanian Foreign Minister Marawan al-Muashar held talks on Israel's pullout plan with the US delegation, which also included US Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East affairs William Burns.

Muahsar told reporters after the taks that the Americans postedhim on the current talks between the US administration and Israelon the withdrawal affair.

Jordan believes any Israeli withdrawal should be part of the roadmap plan, not replacing the scheme, Muashar said, adding Jordan wanted to see "a viable Palestinian state" which served Jordan's "higher interests."

Jordan believed that Israel's construction of security wall would kill any chance for a viable Palestinian stance, he stressed.

Sharon has proposed pulling Israeli soldiers and settlers out ofall or most of the Gaza Strip and withdrawing a few settlements in the West Bank as unilateral measures, if peace talks remain frozen.

He warned that a continued stalemate in the Israel-Palestinian conflict would lead to international initiatives that are unfavorable to Israel.

On Tuesday, Sharon agreed to a binding referendum among his Likud Party members about his plan. The referendum would take place after Sharon returns from a planned April 14 visit to Washington,and before the prime minister brings the plan before the cabinet for debate.

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