Prince Feisal, US congressional aides review ties, region

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, HRH Prince Faisal on Tuesday received a delegation of US congressional aides, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The meeting, held at the Husseiniya Palace and attended by the Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, discussed the strategic partnership between Jordan and the US, and mechanisms to expand cooperation in various fields.

Prince Faisal discussed the positions of Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, in support of efforts exerted in dealing with various crises in the region and reaching political solutions.

The meeting also touched on the regional and international efforts exerted in the war on terrorism, in addition to the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on the Jordanian economy.

For their part, the delegation expressed their appreciation for Jordan's pivotal role, under His Majesty's leadership, in achieving peace and enhancing security and stability in the region.

Senate President Faisal Fayez also met with the delegation in the meeting held by the Arab and International Affairs and expatriates Committee in the Senate, headed by Nasser Lozi.

Fayez talked about the overall situation in the region, especially the repercussions of the Syrian crisis and its impact on Jordan, and the economic challenges facing it due to hosting thousands of Syrian refugees.

He said that despite the conflicts and crises in the region, Jordan has managed to maintain its security and stability, but struggles economically.

Therefore, the international community must fulfill its commitments to Jordan to enable it to continue its humanitarian role towards the refugees and its pivotal role in achieving peace in the region.

Later on Tuesday, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh also met with the delegation and affirmed that the reforms implemented by Jordan in various political, social and economic fields were the result of the efforts of His Majesty, so that Jordan succeeded in transforming its challenges into opportunities.

He stressed the importance of reviving the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. He reviewed the Israeli practices against Palestine and highlighted the several Israeli violations at Al Aqsa Mosque, despite the fact that the Christian and Islamic holy sites are under the Hashemite custodianship.