'Seize moment' for Mid-East peace

Tony Blair continues to meet world leaders

Renewed hopes for the stalled Middle East peace talks have prompted Prime Minister Tony Blair and Jordanian King Abdullah to urge all parties to "seize the moment".

The message, conveyed by a Downing Street spokesman, came after the two men held talks at Number 10.

The meeting, part of an ongoing diplomatic effort by the prime minister, came after Mr Blair had held talks with his Danish counterpart Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

Since the US terror attacks the prime minister has held a series of discussions with world leaders both face-to-face and by phone.

On Monday Mr Blair played host to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and declared that he wanted to see a viable Palestinian state.

Peace process efforts

The prime minister said he wanted to "reinvigorate" the peace process, but denied suggestions that talks were aimed at blunting Arab and Muslim anger at the air strikes in Afghanistan.

His view coincided with recent comments by President George W Bush, but he insisted: "It is important in its own right, irrespective of what happened on 11 September."

Number 10 see King Abdullah as very important

Talks with King Abdullah will also centre on the current international crisis.

A Downing Street spokesman said that the Jordanian leader is seen as a very important player in the region.

"They both agreed on the importance of seizing the moment to re-invigorate the process," the spokesman added.

Mr Blair has repeatedly moved to reassure the leaders of Muslim and Arab countries as airstrikes continue against Afghanistan.

The discussions come as news agency reports suggest that the Jordanian security authorities helped their Lebanese counterparts prevent a terrorist plot against foreign embassies in Lebanon last weekend.

Pakistan visit

According to the reports, the embassies of the UK, US and Jordan itself were among several that were to be targeted.

Meanwhile, International Development Secretary Clare Short is travelling to Pakistan.

According to a spokesman from her department, DFID, she will be looking the effectiveness of the international relief effort and holding two days of talks on the growing refugee crisis in the region.