[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
[September 22, 2005]
[Pages 1476-1477]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following Discussions With King Abdullah II of Jordan
September 22, 2005

    President Bush. Your Majesty, welcome back. We have just had a wide-
ranging and fruitful discussion about the Middle East. I want to thank 
you very much for your vision of a peaceful world, one in which people 
are able to practice their religion freely and one in which women are 
empowered. Your Majesty is a leader, and the United States of America 
respects his leadership a lot.
    One of the things I asked His Majesty to do was to go to visit with 
Prime Minister Sharon and President 
Abbas, to help in the peace 
process there, and he's graciously agreed to go. I want to thank you, 
sir, for taking a leadership role. It will be very helpful to have your 
voice of reason there to talk to both leaders.

    Relations between Jordan and America are strong and important and 
vital. And again, I want to welcome you and thank you very much for your 
advice and counsel on a lot of different subjects.

[[Page 1477]]

    King Abdullah. Thank you, Mr. President, always a pleasure to be 
back. And thank you very much for always the kind support that you've 
given me and all Jordanians.
    As you said so, we've had some very fruitful discussions on the 
peace process and Iraq. And I want to thank you again for the support 
that we have gotten from you for so many years on giving hope to 
Israelis and Palestinians. And I know that you want to find a solution 
that Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace and harmony, and I hope 
that, if we can help in that respect, that is a great honor for us.
    Thank you for allowing us to see you again, sir.
    President Bush. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 1:48 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of 
Israel; and President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) of the Palestinian 
Authority.