Syrian President Bashar Assad has held talks with King Abdullah in Jordan on regional peace prospects.

Both leaders say the Arab peace initiative is "the only existing and tangible plan to end the conflict", Jordan´s foreign minister said.

Hani al-Mulqi was referring to a 2002 proposal calling for normalisation of relations with Israel if it returned all land seized during the 1967 war.

Jordan signed a 1994 peace treaty with Israel, but Syria never reached a deal.

Jordan and Syria have had strained relations under their late leaders, partly because of Jordan´s peace treaty with Israel, correspondents say. But ties improved when King Abdullah and Mr Assad took over from their fathers in 1999 and 2000 respectively.

Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza during the 1967 war, as well as Sinai - since returned to Egypt - and the Golan Heights, whose return Syria demands as part of any peace deal. (© BBC MMV 02/02/05)