King meets with Italian foreign minister, German lawmaker

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday discussed with Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni bilateral ties and the latest regional developments.

He also met a leading German lawmaker with talks focusing on cooperation and regional issues.

During the meeting with the Italian top diplomat, the King voiced Jordan's keenness on enhancing its relations with Italy in all fields as part of the Kingdom’s advanced status with the EU, according to a Royal Court statement.

The Monarch also reviewed with the visiting minister Jordan's support for regional and international efforts exerted to deal with the various challenges facing the Middle East, especially the stalled peace process and terrorism, stressing the important role of Italy and the EU in efforts aimed at addressing these challenges, the statement said.

The two sides also discussed the Syrian crisis and the situation in Libya and Yemen.

For his part, Gentiloni commended the high level of Amman-Rome ties and Jordan's efforts to achieve regional and international peace. 

The meeting was attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Nasser Judeh, King’s Office Director Jaafar Hassan, Italian Ambassador in Amman Patrizio Fondi and the delegates accompanying the visiting minister. 

Also on Wednesday, Judeh held talks separately with Gentiloni that focused on bilateral relations and latest regional developments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Imad Fakhoury also met with Gentiloni.

The two sides agreed to draft a memorandum of understanding on a development and technical cooperation programme for the next three years. 

Discussions focused on strengthening economic relations and development cooperation between the two countries, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

During His Majesty’s meeting with Volker Kauder, the parliamentary group leader of the ruling Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union in Bavaria in the German Bundestag, the King stressed Jordan’s keenness to further enhance cooperation in various fields.

The King urged further coordination among influential players to achieve world peace and enhance regional security and stability, according to the Royal Court. 

In this regard, His Majesty highlighted the importance of supporting efforts exerted to deal with present challenges, especially terrorist and extremist groups that threaten world peace and security, and urged peoples and followers of different faiths to find common grounds.

King Abdullah renewed a call for serious efforts to achieve Middle East peace and establish the Palestinian state, and to work out peaceful solutions to the situations in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. 

Kauder and the accompanying delegates praised Jordan’s contributions to regional stability, which, they said, have earned the Kingdom a special status in the international arena as a peacemaker and a model of moderation and coexistence. 

Judeh also met with Kauder over bilateral ties and regional challenges. 

Judeh briefed the delegates on the latest developments in Syria, Yemen and Iraq, reiterating the importance of cooperation and coordination with Germany and other concerned parties to achieve regional peace and stability.