King receives letters from Saudi, Malaysian monarchs, reviews ties with Qatari deputy PM

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday at Al Husseiniya Palace received Saudi Minister of State for African Affairs Ahmed Abdul Aziz Kattan, who delivered to His Majesty a letter from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz.

King Abdullah asked the minister to convey his greetings to King Salman, wishing him and the people of Saudi Arabia further prosperity, a Royal Court statement said.

Discussions at the meeting covered the brotherly ties between Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and keenness to enhance cooperation in various areas in the best interest of the two peoples and in service of Arab and Islamic causes.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Adviser to His Majesty and Director of the Office of His Majesty Manar Dabbas attended the meeting.

Also on Wednesday, the King received Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Attiyah at Al Husseiniya Palace to review bilateral ties and means of developing them in various fields, according to the statement.

Attiyah conveyed the greetings of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, and King Abdullah in turn asked the deputy prime minister to convey his greetings to Sheikh Tamim, wishing Qatar’s people further progress and prosperity.

The meeting covered opportunities for cooperation between the two countries through activating joint committees and establishing joint projects, with His Majesty expressing Jordan's appreciation for the support provided by Qatar in providing job opportunities for Jordanians and investing in the Kingdom.

The King reaffirmed the importance of supporting the Palestinians as they seek their legitimate rights to an independent state on their national soil on the June 4,1967, lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat and Dabbas attended the meeting.

Separately, Freihat met with the Qatari deputy PM to discuss the latest regional and international developments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Freihat and Attiyah also discussed ways of coordinating and enhancing military and bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the two countries’ armed forces. 

The army chief affirmed the depth of ties between the two countries, with a focus on the exchange of military expertise, expressing his pride in the Qatari army’s level of competence and preparedness, according to Petra. 

During the meeting, the two officials signed a number of agreements pertaining to military cooperation and investment in the two countries.

Meanwhile, King Abdullah received Malaysian Education Minister Maszlee Bin Malik on Wednesday at Al Husseiniya Palace, who delivered a letter to His Majesty from Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI Al Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al Musta’in Billah, the king of Malaysia, the statement added.

King Abdullah asked the minister to convey his greetings to the Malaysian monarch and to Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad, wishing them good health and the Malaysian people further progress and prosperity.

The talks, attended by HRH Prince Ali, stressed the importance of expanding economic, trade, education, tourism and cultural cooperation, the statement said.

The meeting also covered the latest regional developments, with His Majesty stressing the need to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The King reiterated that Jordan will persist in upholding its historical role in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, in line with the Hashemite Custodianship, and praised Malaysia for its support of the Palestinian cause.

His Majesty also commended Malaysia’s exemplary model in promoting coexistence, tolerance and interfaith harmony, according to the Royal Court.

Dabbas and Malaysian Ambassador to Jordan Jilid bin Kuminding attended the meeting.