1 of 3 | President Barack Obama meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on May 17, 2011. UPI/Dennis Brack/Pool |
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WASHINGTON, May 17 (UPI) -- It is critical that Israeli-Palestinian leaders resume negotiations on a two-state solution to their longstanding conflict, U.S. President Obama said Tuesday.
"It's more vital than ever that both Israelis and Palestinians find a way to get back to the table and begin negotiating a process whereby they can create ... two states that are living side by side in peace and security," Obama said during a media availability in Washington with Jordanian King Abdullah II.
The United States and Jordan have a lot at stake in the peace talks, Obama said, and "will continue to partner to try to encourage an equitable and just solution to a problem that has been nagging the region for many, many years."
Obama announced economic support, available through Overseas Private Investment Corp., for economic development projects in Jordan. The corporation is considering providing $400 million in financing to spur about $1 billion in development projects.
Because of the worldwide spike in commodity prices, Obama said the United States will provide 50,000 metric tons of wheat to help stabilize the cost of living for Jordanians.
The two leaders also discussed Libya, Obama said, adding, "We … are grateful for the support of a wide range of Arab countries in our efforts to make sure that humanitarian assistance and humanitarian protection occurs inside of Libya."
Concerning the wave of democracy sweeping across northern Africa and the Middle East, Obama said he and Abdullah agreed that it is crucial that political reform proceed and that "economic reform accompanies those [political] changes, because so much of what's taking place has to do with the aspirations of young people throughout the Arab world for their ability to determine their own fate, to get an education, to get a job, to be able to support a family."
Abdullah took the opportunity to thank the U.S. government for its economic support and for the support of the United States and others internationally "on really being able to push reform in an aggressive manner in our country."
He also thanked Obama for continued U.S. support and interest "on the core issue of the Middle East, which is the Israeli and Palestinian peace."
