King invited for Beirut economic summit in January

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday received Lebanese Foreign Minister and Presidential Envoy Gebran Bassil, who handed the King an invitation from President Michel Aoun to attend the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, slated to be held in Beirut in January.

During a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace, King Abdullah and Bassil underlined “the brotherly relations” between the two countries, and emphasised the need to further sustain coordination and consultation on various issues of joint interest, according to a Royal Court statement.

The discussions focused on the importance of joining efforts and stances in light of regional challenges, especially those associated with the Palestinian issue and reviving peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis, on the basis of the two-state solution that leads to the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Talks also went over the crisis in Syria and the need to reaching a political solution in the country, as well as the burdens that both Jordan and Lebanon are shouldering due to the Syrian refugee crisis.

The King asked the minister to convey his greetings to Lebanese President Michel Aoun, and expressed his keenness to further enhance bilateral ties.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Adviser to His Majesty and Director of the Office of His Majesty Manar Dabbas and Lebanese Ambassador to Jordan Tracy Chamoun attended the meeting.

Later in the day, his Majesty King Abdullah departed for the United Kingdom to attend a military ceremony held by the Light Dragoons, which cooperates with the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army.

King Abdullah trained with the Light Dragoons, the oldest light cavalry regiment in the British army, after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

HRH Prince Raad Bin Zeid was sworn in as Regent in the presence of Cabinet members.