King meets European Parliament president

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with European Parliament President David Maria Sassoli, at the European Parliament’s headquarters in Strasbourg.

 The meeting covered the strong ties between Jordan and European Union institutions, and means to boost them in various areas, especially economic and development sectors, according to a Royal Court statement.

 King Abdullah stressed keenness to expand Jordan’s partnership with the EU, noting the need to support peace efforts and bolster stability and security in the region and the world.

 His Majesty expressed appreciation for the support provided by EU countries in a number of areas, in addition to support for hosting refugees.

 Discussions also addressed regional developments, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause, with the King reaffirming the need to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 His Majesty warned against any unilateral measures in the Palestinian Territories that would undermine the two-state solution and prospects for achieving peace in the region.

 The King stressed the need to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East and avoid any threat to regional security and stability.

 The meeting also covered efforts to fight terrorism within a holistic approach, and the importance of stepping up efforts to reach political solutions to regional crises.

 His Majesty invited President Sassoli to visit Jordan. 

For his part, President Sassoli expressed appreciation for Jordan’s pivotal role in the region, stressing the importance of maintaining coordination on various issues.

 Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Adviser to His Majesty for Communication and Coordination Bisher Khasawneh, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Belgium and the EU Yousef Bataineh attended the meeting.