King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' tour to Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon will attract the focus of both officials and public in the Arab world as he seeks to promote Arab coordination and unification, regional security and stability, and work toward reconciliation in Palestine and reviving the peace process. The King's visits, which start Wednesday, are expected by officials to strengthen support for the aspirations of the Palestinian people and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital. Senior Egyptian sources described the scheduled meeting between King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sharm El-Sheikh as “highly important” given developments in the Arab world and the region that “require Saudi-Egyptian talks on support for Palestine, and means of supporting Cairo-backed Palestinian reconciliation”. The two leaders will also discuss ways of improving bilateral relations. Sources at the Jordanian Royal Court said the King's visit to Amman was of great significance, describing him as “highly respected and appreciated in Jordan”. “Saudi Arabia has played a pioneering role in supporting Arab conciliation,” they said. King Abdullah will be accompanied on his visits by Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Muqrin Bin Abdul Aziz, Head of General Intelligence; and a number of other princes, ministers and senior officials.
