Ammon News - AMMAN (Petra) - Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, Nasser Judeh, on Monday met with a delegation from the Irish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and discussed with them Jordanian-Irish ties and latest developments in the Middle East.

Judeh stressed the need for boosting parliamentary cooperation between the two countries and highlighted Jordan's reform drive led by His Majesty King Abdullah II.

On regional issues, the minister affirmed that the Palestinian issue remains the core of the conflict in the region, calling for all possible efforts to revive serious and effective negotiations according to a specific timeframe to ultimately bring about an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The minister underlined burdens borne by Jordan due to hosting a massive influx of Syrian refugees whose number is around 550,000, urging the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and support the Kingdom.

The Irish legislators hailed Jordan's efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.

Also on Monday, Senate President Taher Masri met with an the Irish Parliamentary delegation and discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation, especially in Parliamentary fields.

Masri highlighted the current political situations in the region and its impact on the Kingdom, as well as the steps recently taken in the reform process by the Jordanian government.

Talks during the meeting also dealt with Jordan's expanding democracy, efforts exerted to achieve comprehensive peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis, as well as the Syrian crisis and the burden of the influx of refugees into the Kingdom.

The Irish delegates praised Jordanian efforts to bring about regional peace and stability, expressing their country's keenness to boost mutual collaboration in all fields.