ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE - President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will meet next week in Jordan to discuss the security situation in Iraq, the White House announced Tuesday.

President Bush speaks after a breakfast with troops at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2006. [AP]

In a joint statement, the two leaders said: "We will meet in Amman, Jordan, on Nov. 29-30 to continue our consultation on building security and stability in Iraq."

The statement was released by press secretary Tony Snow to reporters returning with Bush to Washington from Asia.

Bush will fly directly to Amman from the NATO summit in Rega, Latvia.

"We will focus our discussions on current developments in Iraq, progress made to date in the deliberations of a high-level joint committee on transferring security responsibilities and the role of the region in supporting Iraq," the statement said.

"We reiterate our commitment to building the foundations of a peaceful, democratic and secure Iraq and to strengthening the partnership between our two nations," the statement.

The two leaders also said they look forward to meeting Jordan's King Abdullah II.