King meets with US House speaker, leadership

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, met on Wednesday with US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House leadership, in Washington, DC.

In remarks to the media ahead of his meeting with Pelosi, King Abdullah commended the United States’ support to Jordan, “I’m delighted to be back here, and, as always, I thank the American people and the US Congress for the great support that they provide to our country Jordan and to the region”, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty said he looks forward to the meeting to discuss means of moving the region towards the light, and finding a new vision to the Middle East whereby leaders work towards achieving stability, especially with two years into the COVID pandemic.

The King pointed to the impact of the crisis between Ukraine and Russia on stability and food security in the region.

For her part, House Speaker Pelosi said she looks forward to discussing the issues of security, economy and climate, adding that she is keen to listen to His Majesty’s views on the issues of energy and water in the region, as well as addressing the implications of the pandemic.

“I’ve worked with His Majesty and his family for decades. We have always, in Congress, had the benefit of his wisdom, his knowledge and his judgment of the region”, she said, welcoming the King and the Crown Prince in the Congress.

Pelosi highlighted the bi-partisan (Democratic and Republican) interest in what His Majesty has to say, pointing to the Defence Cooperation Agreement, which the two countries signed in 2021 to fight the terrorist group of “Islamic State”, and promote regional stability and security.

The US House speaker referred to her last visit to Jordan before “COVID”, in which she encountered Jordan’s efforts in hosting Syrian refugees, expressing appreciation to these efforts, especially the services targeting children.

The meeting covered the latest regional developments, with His Majesty stressing the need for Middle East countries to work collectively to counter food security challenges, in addition to the high prices of food, and its scarcity.

Turning to the Palestinian cause, the King reaffirmed the need to galvanise the peace process and relaunch negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the  June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The meeting also discussed means of reaching political solutions to regional crises, to retain security and stability to peoples of the region, in addition to efforts to counter terrorism.

US House leadership commended the deeply-rooted historical relations between Jordan and the United States, as well as the Kingdom’s pivotal role to promote regional stability and achieve peace.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and Jordan’s Ambassador in Washington Dina Kawar attended the meetings.