AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday stressed the importance of achieving just peace for the Palestinians and safeguarding Jerusalem in a series of meetings with European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

 

In talks with Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris, France, the King affirmed the need to step up international efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 

 

He underscored the need for achieving just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, guaranteeing the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967, lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, a Royal Court statement said.

 

King Abdullah stressed the importance of ending provocative Israeli measures in Jerusalem, a city that is the cornerstone for peace in the region.

 

His Majesty called for preserving the legal and historical status quo of Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, affirming that Jordan, in line with the Hashemite Custodianship, is committed to its historical and religious role in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

 

The King expressed appreciation for France’s and the European Union’s position in support of the two-state solution, stressing the importance of uniting international positions in this regard.

 

Talks also covered the Syrian crisis and the importance of reaching a political solution that guarantees Syria’s territorial integrity and the unity of its people, according to the statement.

 

The status of the Golan Heights as occupied Syrian territory, according to international law and UN resolutions, was also stressed.

 

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

 

On bilateral ties, His Majesty and President Macron discussed opportunities to bolster economic and military cooperation, with the King expressing appreciation for France’s support for development programmes in Jordan, and for its participation in the London conference in the UK to support the Jordanian economy.

 

His Majesty highlighted the importance of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Jordanian government and the Agence Française de Développement on the sidelines of the London initiative, under which the agency would present a development package of up to 1 billion euros over the next four years to support priority development and service projects.

 

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Adviser to His Majesty and Director of the Office of His Majesty Manar Dabbas, Jordan’s Ambassador to France Bisher Khasawneh, a number of senior French officials and France’s Ambassador to Jordan David Bertolotti attended the talks.

 

Earlier in Assisi, Italy, His Majesty held separate meetings with Merkel, Conte and President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani. 

 

The meetings addressed ways to enhance cooperation and the latest regional developments, the statement added.

 

During the meetings, King Abdullah also underscored the need to step up international efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and reach just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, affirming the integral role European Union countries play in this regard.

 

His Majesty also noted the importance of preserving the status quo in Jerusalem, stressing that Jordan will persist in undertaking its historical and religious duty in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, which stems from the Hashemite Custodianship.

 

Discussions also covered the Syrian crisis and attempts to reach a political solution, as well as developments related to the Syrian Golan Heights, with His Majesty stressing the need to adhere to international law and UN resolutions, particularly Security Council resolutions that consider the Golan Heights occupied Syrian territory.

 

During the meetings, His Majesty voiced Jordan’s appreciation for the support provided by Germany, Italy and the European Union for development programmes to enable the Kingdom to overcome the challenges posed by regional crises, according to the statement.