First steps on Mid-East road map

Israelis and Palestinians today promised key moves towards peace at a historic summit with President Bush in Jordan.

New Palestinian premier Mahmoud Abbas renounced terrorism and said the armed intifada must end. Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon agreed to start removing "unauthorised" settlements in the occupied West Bank, and said he accepted that a Palestinian state would have to be "viable".

President Bush urged both sides to take "tangible and immediate" steps towards peace. He welcomed today's concessions, which are essential stages on the "road map" agreed between America, the EU, the UN and Russia. The President's presence in the Jordanian resort city of Aqaba signalled his strongest commitment yet to brokering peace in the Middle East.

After greeting King Abdullah of Jordan, he met Mr Sharon in private, while Mr Abbas met the king. President Bush then met Mr

Abbas in private, before a three-way meeting involving all three leaders.

Israeli officials said Mr Sharon would agree to the creation of an interim, demilitarised Palestinian state as required under the "road map".

Tony Blair told the Commons that the "road map" was of "historic importance" and that the peace process was now moving forward for the first time in years, helped by the change of regime in Iraq.

Earl ier, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer described the summit as "a moment of promise".

Mr Sharon and Mr Abbas are expected to issue statements formally recognising that peace requires an independent Palestinian state to exist alongside a secure Israel. Mr Abbas is expected to announce moves to curb Palestinian terrorism, while Mr Sharon will confirm that

Israel is prepared to give up some of its settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.

But tensions remain as disagreements flared over the finer points. Israelis remain sceptical about how much influence Mr Abbas has among the Palestinian people, where President Yasser Arafat - branded a terrorist by the US and sidelined from the peace process - still has much support.

Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher claimed there had been progress. "We were pleased with the Palestinian government's assertions in handling the issues, in particular with the security situation."

Prime Minister Sharon has indicated his government's willingness to make painful concessions, he said.

The Aqaba summit was the focal point of a two-day visit to the region by President Bush, who met Arab leaders - including Mr Abbas - in the Egyptian resort of Sharmel-Sheikh yesterday.

At the close of that meeting, President Bush said Israel would have to make concessions to allow the formation of a "contiguous" Palestinian state. He also urged the Palestinians to end the activities of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Mr Sharon, notorious for his hard-line policies, has recently been preparing the Israeli public for a new peace process, insisting the country must make "painful concessions".