US Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived on Sunday in Kuwait to take part in the Gulf emirates’ celebration of the end of the Gulf War and national day after he wrapped up a short visit to Jordan, said reports.
The MBC satellite channel said that the secretary extended an invitation to Jordan’s King Abdullah II to visit Washington.
A similar invitation was received Saturday by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who is due to arrive in the US early April.
During his visit to Ramallah in the West Bank, Powell called for the lifting of the Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territories "as soon as possible," reported AFP.
"We discussed how it is necessary for all sides to move away from violence and incitement and to lift the siege as soon as possible," Powell said at a joint press conference following a meeting with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, said the agency.
"That's still a difficult challenge, but one I think both the prime minister-elect (Ariel Sharon) and the chairman (Arafat) are dedicated to find the answer for," he said.
The Israeli army has imposed a punishing blockade on the West Bank and Gaza Strip since the eruption of Intifada in late September.
For his part, Arafat called on Powell to help end the Israeli blockade on his people and voiced his commitment to the peace process as a "strategic choice."
AFP said that Arafat also called for negotiations with Israel to resume where they left off with the outgoing government of caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
"I call on you secretary (Powell) and ... President Bush to help us to end the siege and the collective difficulties and the escalations that are taking place with various types of prohibited ammunitions," he said.
"We are moving ahead based on our firm commitment to the peace process ... as a strategic option for the Palestinian people," he said.
Powell’s visit to the region was marked by demonstrations and protests in the Gaza Strip and several West Bank towns, said reports.
Some 3,000 protesters, including the spiritual leader of the Islamic Resistance Hamas movement, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, marched in Gaza City Sunday to protest Powell’s visit and show support for Iraq, which has been bombed by US warplanes twice in as many weeks, said AFP.
"No to killing our children or Iraqi children!" they chanted, and "Powell, listen, our people are very strong. The Iraqi people won't give up!"
The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported that Islamic and nationalist forces called Sunday for a four-hour general strikes in all Palestinian towns in protest of Powell’s visit.
Prior to his meeting with the Palestinian President, the Secretary of State held talks in Jerusalem with Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon and outgoing premier Ehud Barak.
"I think we all need to work hard, all sides, to bring the violence under control, get out of this terrible cycle where we have violence, counter violence," Powell said at a joint press conference with Sharon.
He added he was "disturbed" by a report from the Israeli army that said the level of violence had been escalating, said Haaretz newspaper.
"It's a very dangerous situation," he added, saying "all leaders in the region must do everything possible to control passions."
For his part, Sharon said that he told Powell he was committed to peace but that he would only resume negotiations when violence ends, Haaretz quoted him as saying.
"As prime minister, I will conduct negotiations with the PA (Palestinian Authority) following the cessation of hostilities," Sharon said.
On Saturday night, Powell held a 45-meeting with outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who urged Powell to press Arafat to quell the bloodletting that has raged across the region for five months or "pay the price," reported Haaretz.
"The prime minister insisted that the United States present unequivocal conditions to Arafat: a reduction in the violence, the fight against terror, a monopoly on the use of weapons and the cessation of incitement, this if Arafat wishes to belong to the family of nations," Barak's office said in a statement – Albawaba.com
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