King, British premier discuss region, peace efforts

AMMAN (JT) – His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron on developments in the Arab region as well as the British and the European roles in supporting the Middle East peace process.

King Abdullah said the international community must develop a position that supports the resumption of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis to deal with all final status issues, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty said negotiations should lead to the establishment of a Palestinian state on the basis of the 1967 borders, living in peace and security, side-by-side with Israel.

During the meeting, also attended by Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and his British counterpart William Hague, the two sides examined means to boost bilateral cooperation in all spheres.

They also reviewed several Arab, regional and international issues of mutual concern, the statement said.

Both sides agreed to increase joint economic cooperation and encourage British companies to increase their investments in Jordan.

Moreover, the King briefed Cameron on the various measures the Kingdom is currently implementing to achieve comprehensive political, economic and social reform to increase Jordanians’ participation in the decision-making process, voicing confidence in the success of the political reform process.

King Abdullah also highlighted the economic challenges facing the Kingdom in light of the widening budget deficit and the rise of fuel prices at the international level and its impact on the national economy.

For his part, the British prime minister commended the various measures led by King Abdullah to achieve reform in the country in the different fields.

Cameron also stressed Britain’s support for all the efforts to achieve peace and end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, on the basis of the two-state solution, according to the statement.

Also on Thursday, Judeh and Hague discussed the latest regional developments and efforts to eliminate obstacles hindering the peace process and resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution.

Judeh also briefed Hague on the latest updates regarding the Gulf Cooperation Council‘s announcement welcoming Jordan‘s bid to join the six-nation bloc and the following procedures required to complete the accession process, stressing that the Kingdom‘s membership will be beneficial for all parties concerned.

jordantimes