Abdullah appeals to Bush to restart peace process

Jordan's king has appealed to US President George W. Bush to help restart the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, saying that a deterioration in security in the West Bank could spill over to his nation, the royal palace said in a statement released Friday. King Abdullah II wrote to Bush on Thursday, urging him to "explore all opportunities to achieve the president's vision for a two-state solution," said the statement made available to The Associated Press. Abdullah reiterated the "importance of negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, stating that any withdrawal from the West Bank is welcomed, if negotiated with the Palestinian leadership in the person of the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas." Jordan has previously said that it wanted Abbas to negotiate peace with Israel.