AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan's King Abdullah II said Saturday terrorists were exploiting U.S. mistakes since the September 11, 2001 attacks to promote instability in the Middle East, according to a published report.

Abdullah made the remarks in an interview with the pan-Arabic daily al-Hayat published on the day he and his wife, Queen Rania, left for a five-day visit to the United States, where he also is expected to address the United Nations General Assembly.

"The American reaction" to terror attacks had "contributed to the empowerment of terrorist groups," the king said in the interview. He did not elaborate.

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In the wake of those attacks, extremists were "trying to drive a wedge between East and West and exploit American errors in the region in the interest of fostering hatred and division," Abdullah said.

The king predicted a "bleak future" for the Middle East if there is no resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in the coming weeks, urging an immediate return to the negotiating table.

"I am warning that unless we start within the next weeks and months with a comprehensive negotiating process between the Palestinians and Israelis, resulting in the establishment of an independent and geographically contiguous Palestinian state within a specified time, then people of this region will have to live many more difficult years characterized by violence" he said.

The monarch said international attention must return to the root cause of the conflict.

"Israel cannot, and the region cannot enjoy security unless the Palestinians enjoy stability. It is high time to return to the root causes of the conflict and the core issue, which is the Palestinian issue," he said in the interview.

On Iraq, the king expressed concern about the "daily deterioration" of Iraq's security situation saying it stood in the way of "any serious effort to save Iraq from the disturbances, violence, blind fighting and a plunge to civil war that would consume all and its effects, God forbid, would destabilize the entire region."

During the trip to the U.S., the queen will attend the White House Conference on Global Literacy on Monday and is expected to focus on issues related to bridging the cultural divide between East and West.

Abdullah admits difficulties in Syria ties
Abdullah also said that he had struggled to improve ties with Syria since Bashar Assad became president in 2000.

Syria's relations with Jordan deteriorated in 1994 when Jordan signed a peace deal with Israel. Abdullah said he had wanted to improve ties in 2000, when former president Hafez Assad died and was replaced by his son.

"Frankly, I cannot say that they are excellent," Abdullah told al-Hayat when asked about ties with his northern neighbour.

"I was intent, since President Bashar Assad became president, to turn a new page with Syria, the title of which would be confidence and working for what is in the interest of the two brotherly countries," he said.

"But unfortunately we did not find a translation on the ground to the good intentions we were hearing," he said.

Relations were strained again in April this year when Jordan discovered an arms cache that it said belonged to Palestinian militant group Hamas and had been smuggled across the border from Syria.

Abdullah left for New York on Saturday for a working visit.

The monarch is due to deliver an address before the UN General Assembly that urges the world community to shoulder its responsibilities in bringing about a real partnership for Middle East peace, a statement from the royal court said.

Abdullah's agenda also includes meetings with heads of state and taking part in the first Arab-American Forum to be attended by 200 young Arab leaders.

Other key participants include former U.S. President Bill Clinton and the chairman of the Davos-based World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab.