King meets UK PM

London — His Majesty King Abdullah met with United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday in London, covering strategic relations between Jordan and the UK, as well as regional and international developments.

King Abdullah wished Prime Minister Sunak success in his term in office, expressing Jordan’s keenness to advance the deep-rooted ties of friendship with the UK and bolster cooperation across the political, economic, and defence fields.

His Majesty at the meeting attended by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy—expressed appreciation of the United Kingdom’s economic and development support for Jordan.

The King stressed the importance of continuing close coordination on issues of mutual concern, in service of the two countries and to enhance international security and stability.

His Majesty added that collective efforts and solidarity among countries are needed to address the ramifications of the Ukrainian crisis, especially concerning food and energy security.

Concerning the Palestinian cause, the King reaffirmed the importance of working actively to achieve just and comprehensive peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis on the basis of the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

His Majesty stressed the importance of preserving the historical and legal status quo in the holy city and preventing unilateral Israeli measures that lead to continued escalations in the Palestinian Territories.

The King added that Jordan will continue to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem under the Hashemite Custodianship.

Discussing the situation of refugees, His Majesty stressed the importance of maintaining support for refugees through the UNHCR and UNRWA.

Moreover, discussions covered regional and international efforts to counter terrorism within a holistic approach.

For his part, Prime Minister Sunak noted the deep-rooted ties between the two countries and keenness to strengthen them further, commending Jordan’s key role in the region.

The prime minister stressed the importance of maintaining bilateral cooperation towards economic prosperity, describing Jordan as one of the United Kingdom’s most important allies in the region.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Jordan’s Ambassador to the UK Manar Dabbas, and a number of British officials attended the meeting.