RIYADH (AFP) — US President George W. Bush telephoned Saudi King Abdullah to discuss the Middle East on Tuesday, the state SPA news agency reported, as Washington began issuing invitations for a key peace conference.
The two leaders discussed relations between the close allies, as well as "regional and international developments, chiefly events in the Middle East," SPA said without elaborating.
"President Bush called His Majesty King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia today to discuss the upcoming Annapolis conference," US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said at the White House.
"The two leaders shared their views of the process that is underway between the Israelis, Palestinians and the international community," said Johndroe.
The conversation came as both Israel and the Palestinians announced that they had received invitations to next week's conference in Annapolis, outside Washington, aimed at jumpstarting peace talks after a seven-year freeze.
Despite its close ties with Washington, oil-rich Saudi Arabia has declined to confirm its attendance at the meeting unless the core issues of the Middle East conflict are addressed.
Arab foreign ministers are due to meet in Cairo on Thursday to decide on their participation at the US-sponsored conference.
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