King arrives in Morocco on first leg of Jerusalem-centred tour

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah arrived in Casablanca on Wednesday on a working visit, where His Majesty is scheduled to hold talks with King Mohammed VI of Morocco, a Royal Court statement said.

Morocco is the first leg of the King’s tour that also includes Italy, France and Tunisia, with Jerusalem and the peace process topping the agenda.

Prince Moulay Rachid and a number of senior Moroccan officials and Jordanian Embassy staff were present at Mohammed V International Airport to welcome King Abdullah, a Royal Court statement said.

The King’s talks with the Moroccan king are part of ongoing coordination on regional issues, especially on the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem, supporting the Palestinian people in seeking their legitimate rights to an independent state on their national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital and coordinating efforts among Arab institutions supporting Jerusalemites.

The Morocco visit is in line with His Majesty’s efforts to activate joint Arab action and cooperation to counter regional challenges and achieve stability, which was also stressed at the trilateral summit held in Cairo on Sunday between Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, the statement said.

In Italy’s city of Assisi, the King, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Rania, will receive the Lamp of Peace award for 2019, in recognition of his efforts to promote human rights, harmony, interfaith dialogue and peace in the Middle East and the world.

His Majesty’s visit to Italy will build on his efforts to highlight the true image of Islam, based on tolerance, moderation and mutual respect, while also working to counter Islamophobia.

The King will deliver a speech at the prize ceremony, which will be attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who received the award last year.

While in Assisi, His Majesty is also scheduled to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation, as well as regional developments.

From Italy, the King will head to Paris to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, the statement added.

His Majesty’s ongoing outreach to leading European countries is a diplomatic priority for Jordan, amidst regional developments, to ensure the international community’s commitment to supporting peace efforts in the region, according to the Royal Court.

From France, the King is due to leave for Tunisia to head the Jordanian delegation participating in the Arab summit and deliver Jordan’s address at the opening session.