JORDAN. SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION ON DISCUSSIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 AMMAN 003298

SIPDIS

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I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
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TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN. SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION ON DISCUSSIONS
BETWEEN GOJ AND U.S ON POSSIBLE MEETING BETWEEN
PRESIDENT BUSH AND KING ABDULLAH II

SUMMARY

Following is a special media reaction on local media
coverage of discussions between the GOJ and the U.S.
regarding a possible meeting between President Bush
and King Abdullah II and possible guarantees on the
Palestinian-Israeli issue.

NEWS REPORTS

-- source: Al-Rai April 29, 2004, p.1

Headline: Bush studies giving written guarantees to
the King regarding final solution issues.

Washington - Reuters - After his latest strong
statement in support of Israel, President George Bush
studies giving written guarantees to His Majesty King
Abdullah that the issues of Jewish settlements and
Palestinian refugees will be resolved through
negotiations.

Negotiations are still underway between the two sides
to define a date for His Majesty's visit to the U.S.
American and diplomatic sources said on Tuesday that
such guarantees from the President would help repair
diplomatic relations between the U.S. and its Arab
allies.

Bush had unleashed international anger on April 14 by
acknowledging that Israel has the right to keep some
Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which have been
built on territory seized by war.

Bush followed that by approving Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza strip
and ruling out any Palestinian right of return to what
has now become Israel.

Secretary of State Colin Powell affirmed to Minister

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of Foreign Affairs Marwan Mu'asher that Bush is not
imposing conditions for a final peace settlement.

Powell stressed this point on Tuesday evening in a
celebration of the creation of Israel. Powell said to
a gathering of Israelis, American Jews, and high-
ranking American officials: "At the end of the day,
the two sides will have to agree mutually to the terms
of the final settlement."

Saudi Ambassador to the United States Prince Bandar
Bin Sultan said that the White House had informed him
that: "All issues concerning the final solution
between Palestinians and Israelis must stay as they
are --as issues for a final solution and they must be
negotiated between the parties concerned."

A Jordanian official said that His Majesty the King
would use his meeting with Bush to "request an
explanation" about the status of the settlements and
Palestinian refugees.

In a gesture of goodwill, the White House is studying
the possibility of giving him these guarantees in
writing, but sources in the American administration
said that a final decision has not been reached in
this regard. Jordan fears that denying the
Palestinian right of return would pave the way to
their final assimilation in Arab countries.

-- Source: Al-Dustour April 29, 2004, p.1

Headline: Bush will give the King written guarantees
on the settlements and refugees.

Amman-Al-Dustour- Maher Abou Teir- Al-Dustour learned
from an informed source at the Royal Court that the
American - Jordanian contacts are still ongoing to set
a date for His Majesty King Abdullah's visit to the
United States, and these contacts focus on the date
and agenda of the meeting. The contacts will continue
for the coming few days.

According to political sources, the American
president, George Bush, is thinking of giving
guarantees to Jordan, affirming that the US does not
prejudge the outcome of the possible Israeli-
Palestinian negotiations.

AFP quoted American officials as saying that the
American President George Bush will give written
guarantees to King Abdullah that the issues of Jewish
settlements and Palestinian refugees will be solved
through negotiations. The French agency also pointed
out that George Bush and King Abdullah are planning on
exchanging letters that clarify the current situation,
pointing out that according to documents being
prepared by Jordanian and American diplomats, there
will be written documents to President Bush
reemphasizing Jordan's support for the Palestinians'
peace efforts as opposed to Israel's unilateral plan
to pull out from the Gaza Strip.


-- Source: Al-Arab Al-Yawm April 29, 2004, p.1

Headline: American guarantees to Jordan on the final
solution issues; King to Qurei': Any solution without
the Palestinians will not succeed

Ongoing diplomatic contacts in preparation for the
Jordanian-American summit, which was postponed, made
remarkable progress yesterday when an announcement was
made by U.S. officials to AFP that the President of
United States of America Mr. George W. Bush is
planning to give written guarantees to His Majesty
King Abdullah II in their meeting which is expected to
be on May 6, 2004 to the effect that the U.S. will not
prejudge the results of the final solution
negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, and
that U.S. is committed to the roadmap.

This change in the American position fulfills what His
Majesty had requested from the White House and had
discussed again yesterday with Palestinian Prime
Minister Ahmad Qurei'. His Majesty reaffirmed that
the final solution for the Palestinian conflict should
be dealt with by the parties concerned, and any
solution should be done by agreement between these
parties.

His Majesty also said that he would soon make contacts
and talks to ensure that the conflict is dealt with
and resolved by the parties concerned, and that " Any
unilateral solutions that exclude the Palestinians are
bound to fail".

The King's assertion of Jordan's constant position
regarding final status issues is what prompted the
American official to admit to AFP that Jordan is
determined to get written guarantees from President
Bush, indicating that these guarantees will be given
in the form of letters or explanatory notes. The
official also said that His Majesty and U.S. President
will exchange letters which clarify the present
situation and how things will turn out in the future.


On the other hand His Majesty King Abdullah II will
present written documents to U.S. assuring once again
Jordan's support for the reform efforts of the
Palestinians.

Regarding the details of the American statement the
American official said that it would reaffirm the U.S.
commitment to the Road Map, which was prepared by the
Quartet and which calls for the creation of an
independent Palestinian State by 2005.
High-ranking official sources affirmed to Al-Arab Al-
Yawm that contacts with the American side are
underway, but refused to disclose any details except
for confirming the truth of the news agencies' reports
attributed to American officials.
EDITORIAL COMMENTARY

-- Source: Al-Rai April 29, 2004, p.3

Headline: Jordan seeks American guarantees concerning
the frame of reference of peace and to keep the issues
of the final solution as the prerogative of the
parties concerned.

Commentary by: Faisal Malkawi

Consultations are still underway between Jordan and
the U.S. administration regarding the forthcoming
visit by His Majesty King Abdullah II to the U.S. and
his meeting with U.S. President George Bush.

These contacts started immediately after the King
postponed his meeting with the American President,
which was scheduled for April 21 to give more time for
consultations with the U.S. administration in order to
develop a common base that would contribute to the
success of His Majesty's visit.

The repercussions that preceded and accompanied the
last visit, once they became clear, namely, the state
of confusion caused by the American position regarding
the peace process, the effect on the Palestinian
situation produced by the U.S. President's statement
with Ariel Sharon, and the general conditions in the
region, all of which are equally important, led to His
majesty's return from the U.S. and to the postponement
of his meeting with the U.S. President, according to
Jordanian officials after His Majesty's return.

These contacts have one fundamental purpose, which is
to make His Majesty's next visit to the U.S.
successful, but through the achievement of tangible
steps to move the peace process forward, away from
misinterpretations of what really happened.

Even if there were differences of positions between
Jordan and the U.S. administration regarding important
issues on which Jordan has taken a position on
principle, such as the Palestinian question, yet all
indications affirm two undeniable facts that are not
subject to misinterpretation: The first is that
Jordan-U.S. bilateral relations are important in many
ways, and the second is the importance of the American
position that is now needed to advance peace efforts
in the region, towards their desired objective, in
accordance with the Madrid process, international
resolutions, and the Road Map.

Jordan's request for clarification of the American
position, which was done through these contacts and
consultations, and which was guaranteed by the
continued presence of Dr. Marwan Mu'asher in eth U.S.
on the instructions of His Majesty the King were all
based on a clear Jordanian position of principle, the
elements of which appeared in His Majesty's letter to
the U.S. President on the means to end the Israeli
Palestinian conflict and consolidate stability in the
region.

His Majesty pointed out that Jordan's strong support
of the U.S. President's vision is based on the
creation of two states to end the Israeli Palestinian
conflict, and stressed that this is the only
acceptable solution that would guarantee stability in
the region and achieve security and prosperity for its
people.

His Majesty also stressed that the Israeli withdrawal
from Gaza should be part of the Road Map, not an
alternative to it.

These elements derive from the details of the
Jordanian position, that the issues of the final
peaceful solution such as the right of return,
borders, settlements, and the Palestinian state are
the right of the parties concerned alone, to be
negotiated in accordance with the international
references and resolutions, as well as the Arab
initiative, all of which is included in the road map.

These are what observers call the "guarantees
requested by Jordan" and the references to which all
parties must return in order to eliminate the state of
confusion which was caused by the American President's
statement. It was this that made Jordan feel the need
for more dialogue with Washington to reach a clear
position acceptable to all parties, in order to make
the next visit a success.

Analysts feel that the reassertion by Bush and his
Secretary of State Powell in public statements to the

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media that all final solution issues are the
prerogative of the parties concerned to negotiate
alone, and that the U.S. would not prejudge these
negotiations, is a positive sign towards a commitment
to the vision of the two state solution, which was
announced by the U.S. President.
GNEHM