Official visit to the US: February 28-March 6, 2008

[Veram98]

Statement by the White House Press Secretary: Visit of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan to the White House

WASHINGTON-- The President and Mrs. Bush will welcome King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan to the White House on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. The President looks forward to discussing with the King the bilateral relationship between the United States and Jordan, Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts, the situation in Lebanon, and other regional issues. Following his meeting with King Abdullah, the President and Mrs. Bush will host the King and Queen for a private lunch.

Statement by the Press Secretary: Visit of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan to the White House

 

[chelsea]

It's not obvious that Rania would go with him. Sometimes she doesn't go with him when he goes on a working trip to the U.S.

 

[Veram98]

Why do you not believe the White House Press Office?

Maybe you will trust more the Jordanian embassy in the US?:

"King Abdullah, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Rania, will start the several-day visit on 28 February with a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York on expanding the UN's efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and foster Middle East peace and stability ....."


Embassy of Jordan (Washington, D.C.) - Press Release

 

[Princess Mahala]

I did not know its obvious she would go cuz they were on break, no one knew for how long, but Yes now its confirmed they go together, also by petra. hopeful we get great pics!

 

[chelsea]

I do of course believe the White House press. What I was saying is that it is not "obvious" she would automatically accompany him. Of course if it is officially announced that she will, then presumably she will.

 

[Little_star]

Any idea of Rania's agenda while she's there?

 

[salma]

UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon - Yahoo! News Photos
UN Chief Ban Ki-Moon - Yahoo! News Photos

 

[yamamah]

She does not look good in this pictures. Very pale like anemic.

 

[salma]

She looks tired

 

[Little_star]

Hmm, I'm an anaemia sufferer and I think it's safe to say she's not anaemic....

 

[yamamah]

My point is that I said she is pale like an anemic person NOT she is anemic. I am anemic also and I am pale because of it.

 

[Nad25]

She is a queen,wife and a mother of four Children,its normal to look tired at times!

 

[dazzling]

I guess after a long flight its only normal to look washed out.
It would be nice to get a glimse if her agenda, Rania is usually prety active when she's visitng the US.

 

[LeoMama]

Yea she looks tired.

 

[Little_star]

New York, Feb. 28 (Petra)-His Majesty King Abdullah II met today here with UN Secretary General Bam Ki moon and discussed with him the role of the UN in achieving international peace and security
Jordan News Agency - Petra - King meets UN Secretary General

 

[HRH Kerry]

I guess after a long flight its only normal to look washed out.
It would be nice to get a glimse if her agenda, Rania is usually prety active when she's visitng the US.

You're right. She does make the rounds when she's in this part of the world. I haven't seen any news today to see if there were any headliners. I remember when she was on Good Morning America last year and Diane Sawyer couldn't get her name right!

 

[chelsea]

Looking at the pictures of Abdullah at Princeton, Rania doesn't seem to be with him. Does anyone know if she has her own agenda this trip?

 

[Jae143]

She does not look good in this pictures. Very pale like anemic.

it might just be the lighting...looks very bright

 

[Princess Mahala]

I think tone is light maybe pale? Something picturs probably do not show peoples natural tone then also covered with make up which she wears lot of to me (so i look to neck lol). but definetely lightings bad, also horrible timing with pic i think.

 

[chelsea]

anyone got more news on what they have been doing in the past day or so?

 

[Humera]

February 29 - King Abdullah speaking at Princeton

King Abdullah underlines Israel’s military force cannot achieve security

New York, Feb.29 (Petra)—His Majesty King Abdullah stressed on Friday that Israel’s security cannot depend indefinitely on occupation, walls, and the Israeli military. Real security, King Abdullah clarified, for Israel will occur when it is a neighbor among neighbors, an economy among economies, a people among people working together towards the achievement of common goals. Petra

King calls for US help in Middle East

PRINCETON, N.J. - Jordan's King Abdullah II warned Friday that unless a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian agreement is reached during the Bush administration's final months, the chances for a lasting Middle East peace could be "set back, perhaps for decades."

"We are in the best possible position to resolve 60 years of conflict between Israel and Palestine," Abdullah told an audience at Princeton University. "It will be two or three years before a new American president will be willing to look at the Middle East." AP via Yahoo

Speech - Part 1
Speech - Part 2
Speech - Part 3

Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5
Photo 6

 

[chelsea]

Where was Rania? Seems odd she didn't go along with Abdullah to Princeton, especially as I haven't seen any reports of her having her own commitments at the same time.

 

[Princess Mahala]

Does anyone know how long they stay, cuz prime minister is now left to joining them.

 

[Humera]

Usually on a visit like this one where the King has a more political agenda to pursue, his wife doesn't make a lot of appearances as she would during a solo visit or even a working visit with her husband like the one they do together for the Clinton Global Initiative.
QR hasn't been photographed at any event since the appearance at UN headquarters and that's not out-of-the-blue because we knew this was going to be a low-key visit for her since there was no itinerary announced for her except for her appearance with KA at the UN and at the White House.

 

[Godiva]

I don't think she looks tired, I like her face as always. She wears the jacket she had once wore in Turkey. I have the impression that we see fewer photos of her the last months... maybe I do wrong. Especially after the change of the layout of Petra site.

 

[chelsea]

Why is she there then if she is not attending a lot of stuff with him and has no agenda of her own?

 

[yamamah]

Maybe she is catching up with people she knows, shopping, relaxing etc?

 

[Humera]

Why she's there is not really a question for any of us to answer or speculate on is it, since we didn't plan her schedule.
We've only had two engagements so far, let's be more patient. The White House meeting and private lunch is scheduled for Tuesday. Looks like the couple is laying low over the weekend.

 

[Amoula]

Why she's there is not really a question for any of us to answer or speculate on is it, since we didn't plan her schedule.
We've only had two engagements so far, let's be more patient. The White House meeting and private lunch is scheduled for Tuesday. Looks like the couple is laying low over the weekend.

They are staying till Tuesday???! The King has to go back to Jordan, the situation in the ME is getter more dangerous by the minute!

 

[dazzling]

Usually weekends are very quite in America & Europe.