King Abdullah holds summit meeting with Saudi King Salman

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah and Saudi King Salman on Monday held a summit meeting in Amman during which the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and the latest regional developments. 

Meanwhile, the two countries signed a series of agreements aimed at boosting ties, foremost of which is the memorandum of association for a company that will run the Saudi-Jordanian Investment Fund, which will be investing $3 billion in projects in Jordan. 

During extended meetings, attended by senior officials from both countries, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance the Jordanian-Saudi cooperation in all fields and sectors, according to a Royal Court statement.

The two kings “expressed pride in the advanced and deep-rooted Jordanian-Saudi relations in all spheres”, especially security, military, education, investment, energy, health, media, culture, energy, agriculture and labour, the statement said.

They also highlighted the significance of the Jordanian-Saudi Coordination Council’s meetings and their contribution to enhancing and institutionalising the strategic partnership between the two kingdoms.

The two monarchs also stressed the need for continued coordination and cooperation between the two countries on all regional and international issues of mutual concern, the statement said. 

On the Arab summit, which Jordan is hosting on the shore of the Dead Sea on Wednesday, the two leaders stressed the importance of strengthening inter-Arab relations and building a unified Arab position on all issues of common concern, the statement said. 

On his Twitter account, His Majesty said: “Pleasure to welcome my brother @King Salman to his home, Jordan”.

The visiting king’s plane touched down at Marka Military Airport in Amman, where he was given an official welcome, present at which were Their Royal Highness Prince Feisal, Prince Ali, Prince Hamza, Prince Hashem, and Prince Rashed Ibn Al Hassan, along with senior officials, top brass and diplomat. 

The protocol Red Motorcade was deployed on the occasion, passing through Amman streets where the two kings were greeted by thousands of people lining the road.   

The summit also focused on current regional developments and issues, with focus on the Palestinian cause. 

King Abdullah stressed the need to intensify efforts to push the peace process forward, to lead to the re-launch of serious and effective negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions. The endgame, he said, is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In this context, the importance of maintaining the historic status quo in Jerusalem intact was emphasised, as “any violation would have implications on the security and stability of the region as a whole”.

During the summit, both kings stressed support for efforts aimed at achieving security and stability in the region and the necessity of continuing the war on terror through the international coalition against Daesh, the Islamic military alliance against terrorism and the Arab coalition for the restoration of legitimacy in Yemen.

In this regard, both leaders stressed rejection of all forms and shapes of terrorism and violence, which now threaten the world’s peace and security.

Talks touched on crises in the Middle East, and the need to find political solutions to these conflicts, so that their peoples can live in peace and security.

Prime Minister Hani Mulki, Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, National Security Adviser and General Intelligence Department Director Gen. Faisal Shobaki, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, King’s Office Director Jafar Hassan, King’s Special Envoy to Saudi Arabia Bassem Awadallah, Planning and International Copperation Minister Imad Fakhoury, Health Minister Mahmoud Sheyyab, Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Yarub Qudah and Transport Minister Hussein Al Souob attended the meeting from the Jordanian side.

Saudi Ambassador to Jordan Prince Khalid Bin Faisal Al Saud, Minister of State Ibrahim Bin Abdulaziz Al Assaf, Health Minister Tawfiq Al Rabiah, Minister of State Essam Bin Saad Bin Saeed, Minister of Commerce and Investment Majid Bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir, Transport Minister Suleiman Al Hamdan and Director of the General Intelligence Presidency Khalid Bin Ali Al Humaidan attended from the Saudi side.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Hussein Al Souob and his Saudi counterpart Suleiman Al Hamdan discussed the possibility of granting Jordanian drivers multivisit visas and allowing them to stay in Saudi Arabia, with their vehicles, for three weeks, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

They also went over the repercussions of increasing visa fees for Jordanian truck drivers who transport agricultural and industrial products to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Health Minister Mahmoud Sheyyab met with his Saudi counterpart Tawfiq Al Rabiah and exchanged talks on both countries’ expertise and information on health systems and mechanisms followed in administrating health affairs.

Rabiah expressed his country’s interest in benefiting from Jordanian expertise in the medical sector, where Sheyyab voiced Jordan’s willingness to put at the disposal of Saudis its expertise in medical industries and that of Jordan Medical Board, Petra added.