AMMAN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Visiting U.S. Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama vowed here Tuesday to admit the difficulties
facing Palestinians and actively involve in the Middle East peace process if
elected in November.
He made the remarks during a press conference after
arriving in Jordan's capital of Amman, the third stop in his high-profile
Mideast and Europe tour.
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate
Senator Barack Obama (C) speaks during a news conference at the Amman
Citadel, an ancient Roman landmark, in Amman, Jordan, July 22,
2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Obama also backed the two-state solution, which will
see an independent Palestinian state living side by side with a secure Israel.
However the senator in the meanwhile said that "The
U.S. will always remain a strong ally of Israel, whether he or his Republican
rival John McCain won the election."
During his stay in Jordan, a bulldozer went on a
rampage in Jerusalem, injuring at least 16 people. Obama strongly condemned the
attack, saying he "will always support Israel in confronting terrorism and
pursuing lasting peace and security."
Obama met later with Jordan's King Abdullah II
Tuesday evening. The King stressed in the talks that securing an independent
Palestinian statehood is key to a final settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict and asserted that more American support would foster Arab-U.S.
relations and bolster U.S. credibility in the region.
Abdullah warned that the Israeli settlement policy
and its imposition of new realities on the ground, along with the siege on the
Palestinian people would exacerbate conflict and undermine peace efforts.
U.S Democratic presidential candidate
Barack Obama (R) and Afghan President Hamid Karzai walk at the
presidential palace in Kabul July 20, 2008. Obama promised long-term
support to Afghanistan when he met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in
the Presidential Palace on Sunday. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
Obama
kicked off the week-long tour last Thursday with an aim to establish his
credentials in foreign policy and national security where the Republican
presidential candidate McCain gains upper hand over him.
Obama arrived at Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday as
part of a Congressional fact-finding mission, along with two other senate
fellows, Democrat Jack Reed and Republican Chuck Hagel.
During his stay in Afghanistan, Obama pledged to pour
long-term support to the war-torn country when meeting with Afghan President
Hamid Karzai on Sunday. The talks also covered issues of security situation,
regional stability, drug fighting, war on terror and bilateral relations.
Iraq's President Jalal Talabani (R)
meets with U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (L) in
Baghdad July 21, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
On Monday morning, Obama arrived in Iraq, where he
welcomed the security gains achieved by Baghdad in battling al-Qaida and Shiite
militias in his talks with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
In a seeming endorsement of Obama's pullout
timetable, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said after Obama's meeting
with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that Iraq hopes the U.S. troops would
end its combat role and pull out by 2010, a clear timeline after the vague "time
horizon" the two countries just agreed on.
Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (R)
speaks with U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (L) in
Baghdad July 21, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
The Maliki-led Iraqi government is currently in a tug
of war with the White House over rules governing the U.S. military presence in
Iraq after the UN mandate expires at the end of the year. It has been reported
that Maliki sought to take the advantage of U.S. presidential campaign to
squeeze Bush administration for the best deal possible.
U.S. Senator Barack Obama listens as
U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus provides a situation update on Iraq to a
congressional delegation in Baghdad, July 21, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
The Illinois senator has promised to pull out the
U.S. troops from Iraq within 16 months after taking office, and shift more
troops to Afghanistan which is the centerpiece of his war on terrorism.
Obama is expected to tour Israel and the Palestinian
territory of the West Bank afterwards followed by a whirlwind across Europe with
scheduled stops in Berlin, Paris and London.
AMMAN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's King Abdullah II
reaffirmed here on Tuesday evening the need to establish an independent
Palestinian state on lands covering both the West Bank and Gaza, saying it is
the key to a final settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, said a
statement from Jordan's Royal Hashemite Court.
The King made the remarks when meeting with visiting
U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who arrived in Amman in the
day to continue his week-long Mideast and Europe tour after visiting Afghanistan
and Iraq. Full story
BAGHDAD, July 21 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi government said
Monday that it hopes the U.S. combat troops would leave by 2010, raising a clear
vision of time line after the two countries have agreed on a vague "time
horizon."
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh made the
remarks as U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is here on a
fact-finding tour. Full story
KABUL, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama promised long-term support to Afghanistan
when he met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the Presidential Palace on
Sunday, a statement released by Karzai's office said.
Matters pertaining situation in Afghanistan, regional
stability, fight against drug, war on terror and enhancing Kabul-Washington
relations were discussed, the statement added. Full story
