King to visit Saudi Arabia Thursday

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, where he will meet Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz to discuss bilateral ties and the latest regional developments, a Royal Court statement said Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the King met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil at the Husseiniya Palace and reiterated Jordan’s stance in support of all efforts to achieve peace and security in the Middle East, especially in light of the increasing violence, intolerance, extremism and terrorism.

King Abdullah underscored the solid relations between the two countries, and expressed keenness to boost them and help Lebanon face challenges in a way that guarantees its unity, security and stability.

Discussions at the meeting also focused on the importance of reaching a comprehensive political solution to the Syrian crisis that ends the suffering of the Syrian people.

The King and the Lebanese official also urged the UN to help countries hosting large numbers of refugees, especially Jordan and Lebanon, due to the extra burdens on their resources.

For his part, Bassil conveyed Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s greetings to the King, and expressed Lebanon’s appreciation of Jordan's efforts to seek peace, security and stability in the region.

He also commended His Majesty’s wisdom in dealing with the circumstances the region is facing, through promoting dialogue and tolerance among followers of different faiths to combat violence and extremism.

Bassil expressed his country’s keenness to boost relations with the Kingdom and maintain coordination on issues of mutual concern.

Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, King’s Office Director Imad Fakhoury and Lebanese Ambassador to Jordan Michelin Baz attended the meeting.

Judeh also met separately with Bassil and discussed bilateral relations and the recent developments in Gaza in light of the Israeli aggression.

He reiterated the Kingdom’s support to all efforts aimed at reaching a sustainable ceasefire in accordance with the Egyptian initiative.

Jordan and Lebanon are directly concerned with the developments in Gaza, Judeh said, noting that they are working to face extremism and threats that endanger the peace and stability of the entire region.

The Lebanese official said both countries share the same challenges, and they cooperate to face them with the Palestinian issue as the top priority.

Bassil and an accompanying delegation also met with Interior Minister Hussein Majali, who expressed Jordan’s readiness to put its security expertise at the disposal of Lebanon through exchanging training programmes and information, especially with the emergence of terrorism, extremism, and the spread of weapons and drugs in the region.