King Abdullah II meets US congressional delegation

King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday reviewed with a US congressional aides delegation Jordan’s reform efforts, Jordanian-US ties as well as the latest developments in the region. On the Middle East peace process, King Abdullah highlighted the role of the international community in pushing peace forward and solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Jordan’s Petra news agency reported. He said that Israel’s policy to expand settlements and take unilateral measures in Palestinian lands, mainly in Jerusalem, would undermine peace efforts and increase tension and instability in the region. The Jordanian Monarch also highlighted the United States’ role in helping the Palestinians and Israelis to return to the negotiating table and discuss all final status issues, to achieve aspirations of the Palestinians as well as their legitimate rights in establishing an independent state. On the situation in Syria, King Abdullah II expressed concern over developments there, stressing the need to end violence and arrive at a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis. He also expressed Jordan’s support to the UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Kofi Annan. The Us lawmakers valued King Abdullah’s efforts to bring about peace and stability in the region as well as the King’s reform efforts. They also stressed their keenness to boost cooperation and friendship between Jordan and the United States.