Australian leaders commend Jordan as peacemaker, refugee host

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with Australia's Governor General Peter Cosgrove over ways to boost bilateral relations and improve coordination on regional crises.

The talks, held at the governor general's residence in Canberra, in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Rania and Cosgrove's wife, Lynne Cosgrove, addressed the war on terrorism and the Syrian crisis' repercussions, according to a Royal Court statement.

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Ali and Prince Hashem also attended the meeting. 

King Abdullah and Cosgrove underlined shared values and joint endeavours to achieve peace in the entire world.

They also reviewed the pressure Jordan is withstanding as a result of hosting Syrian refugees, in relation to which His Majesty commended Australia's support to host countries, including the Kingdom, helping these countries carry on delivering humanitarian services to refugees.

On terrorism, King Abdullah stressed the importance of pursuing regional and international efforts to combat terrorist organisations, by adopting a holistic strategy to preserve the world's peace and stability.

Cosgrove expressed hope that His Majesty's visit would contribute to further expanding cooperation between Jordan and Australia, referring to their shared vision on fighting terrorism and responding to the humanitarian crisis that resulted from the Syrian war.

King Abdullah and Queen Rania also visited the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, which bears historical relevance in celebrating sacrifices of Australian soldiers in wars. 

Their Majesties toured the memorial exhibition, which includes a pavilion showcasing some items from the Great Arab Revolt era.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife held a dinner banquet in honour of Their Majesties and the accompanying delegation.

Also on Wednesday, the Monarch met with the leader of the government in the Australian senate, Senator George Brandis, Minister of Justice Michael Keenan and specialists in the foreign affairs, defence, security and anti-terrorism fields.

The meeting, held at the Australian parliament, focused on ways to enhance Jordanian-Australian relations in fighting terrorism, increasing security and legal coordination and exchanging relevant expertise.

Australian officials expressed their appreciation for Jordan’s efforts in dealing with Middle Eastern crises and for the Kingdom’s role in hosting refugees.