Remarks with King Abdullah II of Jordan after their Meeting

His Majesty and I had a chance to discuss the need for getting back to security discussions, the need for economic revitalization for the Palestinian people, and to help the Palestinian Authority do a better job of bringing security to the region and working with the Israelis on that security track. And we also talked about the need for a political horizon, for people to see that there will be a political solution that the parties in the region and the international community will be working on.

We also reviewed our bilateral relations. It didn't take a long time because they are very solid. And we deeply appreciate all the support that His Majesty and his government has given to our efforts over the past eight or so months since 9/11.

Your Majesty, thank you for that support, and welcome again to the State Department.

KING ABDALLAH: Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Again, it's a great pleasure to be back in Washington, and we're here again to see what we can do in Jordan to work with the American administration and the American government to try and move the Israelis and the Palestinians forward, hopefully to find a solution to the impasse that has befallen all of us in the recent weeks. And we hope that over the next couple of days that we will assist in coming out with a vision that allows a hope and future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Thank you very much.

QUESTION: Mr. Powell, have you suggested -- have you discussed with His Majesty the suggested US peace conference to be held in the summer? What is the US vision for that conference, and how do you see the role that Jordan can play in such a conference?

SECRETARY POWELL: Yes, we did discuss it. What I've said to His Majesty is that this meeting that we are proposing for the summer is a continuation of a process of discussions and events and meetings that we have had since President Bush's April 4th speech, followed by my trip to the region, followed by the kinds of consultations we're having this week -- with His Majesty, with Prince Saud, the Saudi Foreign Minister, with Prime Minister Sharon -- bringing in ideas, gathering information, looking for a way forward that deals with the security problem, the humanitarian economic problem, and the political problem that we all have.

And so the Jordanians, I am sure, will play an important and vital role as we move forward as being a nation that is deeply concerned about the region. And His Majesty's concern about the plight of the Palestinian people is well known, and I look forward to receiving advice and counsel from His Majesty and the Jordanian Government as we structure our plans in the weeks ahead.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, there has just been arrest of four -- by Jordan of four Palestinian men in connection with arms smuggling. What can you tell us about that, if anything?

SECRETARY POWELL: I haven't heard about it. Perhaps His Majesty has.

(Laughter.)

KING ABDALLAH: Well, arms smuggling happens all the time, so I don't have any detailed information on it.

QUESTION: Secretary Powell, what you just outlined there sounds like a comprehensive peace vision that you have for the Middle East, quite different from the one that Prime Minister Sharon is thinking of here in Washington. He's talking about much more of a step-by-step approach, an incremental --

SECRETARY POWELL: I don't believe I said that we had a comprehensive vision. I think what I said is we're talking to all of the parties, we are consulting with all of the parties and trying to determine what could be usefully achieved at this meeting with respect to a security track, with respect to humanitarian and economic support for the people in the region. And I think Prime Minister Sharon is likewise interested in that, and what kind of political dimension we can point to as a way forward.

And there are different points of view on that political dimension, and what we'll be discussing with our friends in the weeks ahead is the nature of a comprehensive settlement or a settlement that would involve way stations on the way to a comprehensive settlement. We have not made a judgment on this, and that's why we're consulting with our friends.

There are lots of different ideas out there, but sooner or later you've got to bring all these ideas together where reasonable people can sit down and begin to discuss the ideas to see how to go forward. And the meeting we're talking about for this summer would not be a one-time meeting; it would be yet another step on a way forward. And we look forward to continuing to consult with our Jordanian friends on this process.

Thank you.