King receives Georgian PM

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday received a high medal from Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, in recognition of his role in bolstering friendly relations between Jordan and Georgia, as well as his efforts to promote peace regionally and internationally.

During a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili presented to King Abdullah the Order of the Golden Fleece, the highest honour awarded to international leaders and figures, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty expressed appreciation for the honour, stressing keenness to expand bilateral cooperation, especially in tourism and agriculture.

The King welcomed Prime Minister Garibashvili’s visit to Jordan, during which he will lay the cornerstone for a Georgian cultural centre project at the Baptism Site, highlighting the importance of enhancing cooperation between the two countries in religious tourism.

During the meeting, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, the King reaffirmed the need to safeguard the Christian presence in the region as an integral part of the Middle East and its future.

The meeting covered the latest regional developments, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause, with His Majesty calling for stepping up efforts to reach comprehensive and lasting peace, on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The King also highlighted Jordan’s relentless efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, under the Hashemite Custodianship.

For his part, the Georgian prime minister expressed his country’s keenness on bolstering ties with Jordan and expanding cooperation, thanking His Majesty for donating the piece of land at the Baptism Site, where the Georgian cultural centre will be built.

Discussions also covered the developments in Ukraine, and its implications on food and energy, as well as means of cooperation among international stakeholders to find solutions that alleviate the repercussions of this crisis regionally and internationally.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and the accompanying Georgian delegation attended the meeting.