Amman - US Middle East envoy George Mitchell held talks Saturday with Jordan's King Abdullah II and pledged Washington's commitment to the establishment of an "independent Palestinian state" that lives in peace with Israel, according to a royal court statement.

"We seek the establishment of comprehensive peace, the setting up of an independent Palestinian state that lives in peace and security alongside Israel and building up a prosperous future for all peoples for the region," the royal court statement quoted Mitchel as telling King Abdullah.

From his part, the Jordanian leader stressed the need for "tangible and effective steps on the part of the US administration to re-launch Palestinian-Israeli negotiations with a view to resolving the conflict on the basis of the two-state formula in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative", the statement said.

"The monarch underscored the importance of the US role in world efforts aimed at bringing about comprehensive peace in the Middle East," it added.

King Abdullah also urged speedy Palestinian reconciliation as a prerequisite for Palestinian statehood and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

Mitchell visited Jordan in the course of a regional tour, his second Middle East trip since US President Barack Obama assumed office on January 20. dpa