PARIS, 2 October 2003 — Jordan’s King Abdallah II said the internationally-backed road map for Middle East peace will have to be revived without the United States, which is currently more concerned with the next US presidential elections.

“At the moment there’s nothing for the president (George W. Bush) to be able to do. So we — Jordanians, Israelis, Palestinians, and part of the international community — will have to move the process of the road map (forward) and give some tangible edge so that the president can step in again,” he told public television channel France 3.

Abdallah, who was in Paris ahead of talks yesterday with French President Jacques Chirac, made the statement in reply to a question on whether an Israeli-Palestinian accord was possible “13 months before the US presidential election.” He said the road map is the only way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “I think there is no alternative to the road map. We have to put the process back on the rails,” he said.

The king also said he believed Bush supported the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005 as stipulated in the road map, drafted by the EU, Russia, the UN and the US.

“I think that he is sincere, he really wants this state to come into being. The problem is to see how long that will take,” Abdallah told France 3, adding: “The Americans must speak clearly with the Israelis.”

Meanwhile, Jordan’s Queen Rania called for improved security in Iraq so that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can provide Iraqi civilians with medical services and other much-needed aid.

“Our main concern is that many of the NGOs that would like to go there to offer their services are unable to do so because of the security situation,” Rania told a press conference at the French Foreign Ministry.

No Port Facility for Israel: Jordan will not let Israel use its port at Aqaba as an alternative for moving goods in and out of the country while the Jewish state’s own ports are closed by a strike, an official said yesterday. Information Minister Nabil Sharif said Israeli authorities had officially asked to use Aqaba, but Jordan had refused because such a move would overtax the port’s facilities.

“The port of Aqaba cannot receive the cargoes of neighboring countries; its capacity is insufficient and ships there must (already) wait a long time to unload,” said Sharif.