King meets Pakistan president over ties

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah and Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain on Friday held talks on bilateral ties and other issues of mutual concern.

During talks at the presidential palace in Islamabad, which were attended by senior officials from both countries, King Abdullah affirmed the importance of taking Jordanian-Pakistani cooperation to further heights, especially in the field of defence industry, according to a Royal Court statement.

For his part, President Hussain called for enhancing the exchange visits between the two countries' public and private sectors to increase trade.

Talks also covered regional and international developments, particularly global and regional efforts to fight terrorism within a holistic approach.

In this regard, His Majesty stressed the importance of Jordanian-Pakistani cooperation, calling for highlighting the true, tolerant image of Islam and spreading the values of tolerance and moderation.

They also discussed developments related to the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem, with the King asserting that the status of Jerusalem, which is key to regional peace and stability, must be settled within the framework of a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Discussions also touched on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, and the importance of reaching a political solution with India, in order to bolster peace and stability in the region.

President Hussain expressed his appreciation for His Majesty’s ongoing efforts to establish security and stability in the Middle East, affirming Pakistan’s keenness on expanding cooperation with Jordan in various areas.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf Saraireh attended the talks.

Later in the day, King Abdullah returned to Jordan after concluding a working visit to Pakistan, during which he also held talks with the premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

On Wednesday, King Abdullah went on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Rania, where he met with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces.