Ammon News - AQABA (Petra) – His Majesty King Abdullah II received on Thursday UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, currently visiting Jordan as part of his Middle Eastern tour, to discuss the latest regional developments, especially the efforts to achieve peace and repercussions of the Syrian crisis.

His Majesty stressed the important role being played by the UN to support the efforts to achieve peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis based on the two-state solution and the Arab peace initiative, and also commended the important efforts made by the US that led to the resumption of talks between the two sides.

He hoped that the talks would set both sides on the road towards establishing an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital, and for such a state to live in security and peace alongside Israel. The King reiterated that solving all final status issues and establishing a viable independent state on the Palestinian national soil is a strategic and a national Jordanian interest.

His Majesty also stressed the importance and status of Jerusalem for Muslim and Christian Arabs, noting that Israel's ongoing policy aiming to Judaize the city, change its features and adopt a policy of aggression against Islamic and Christian holy sites will have serious consequences as far as efforts to make progress in the peace process were concerned.

On the Syrian crisis, the King reiterated Jordan's position calling for a transitional and comprehensive political solution that ends the cycle of violence and bloodshed and preserves the unity of the Syrian territories and people.

His Majesty also briefed Ki-moon about the heavy burden being exerted on Jordan's limited resources and infrastructure, especially in the northern governorates, as a result of hosting more than 500,000 Syrian refugees. He called for intensive efforts by the UN and its agencies to support the Kingdom to ease the increasing pressure on the country as a result of hosting the Syrian refugees and to thus enable Jordan to continue providing them with humanitarian services.

On his part, Ki-moon praised His Majesty's efforts to achieve peace, security and stability in the region, affirming the UN’s keenness to coordinate and cooperate with Jordan in dealing with various regional and international issues and challenges.

He affirmed his commitment to work with the international community to increase the support to Jordan to ease the heavy burdens being shouldered by the Kingdom to provide noble humanitarian services to the Syrian refugees.