AMMAN, 15 June 2004 — Jordan’s King Abdallah will hold talks today with US President George W. Bush in the second meeting between them in two months, government spokeswoman Asma Khader said yesterday. The White House talks will cover the embattled Middle East peace process, particularly its Palestinian-Israeli track, as well as the transfer of power in Iraq due to take place at the end of the month, Khader said.
“These stepped-up meetings are an indication of the concern both sides have for the issues facing the region,” Khader said. “There is hope for making progress in order to achieve results in a reasonable time,” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iraq, she said.
King Abdallah attended earlier this month the Group of Eight summit in the United States and has stayed on, touring several cities to promote bilateral relations between the two countries, namely economic ties.
Meanwhile, Jordanian security forces arrested a number of suspected militants in several raids across the capital yesterday, witnesses and officials said.
Witnesses said the suspects were detained during raids on homes in the commercial district and the Ashrafiya and Nuzha residential areas in the eastern sector of the capital.
Khader confirmed security forces had arrested suspects in the capital’s commercial area during a raid but declined to give details.
