Amman, Sept 17 (Petra) -- His Majesty King Abdullah II and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held talks on Wednesday at Basman Palace, during which they expressed their pride in the deep-rooted and historical ties between Jordan and Qatar.

During bilateral talks followed by expanded ones, the two leaders affirmed their commitment to increasing cooperation across various fields, particularly economic and investment-related ones, and to maintaining close coordination in service of shared interests and Arab causes.

The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the advancement of relations between the two countries, and called for activating the Jordanian-Qatari Joint Higher Committee.

His Majesty commended the visit of Sheikh Tamim and the fruitful cooperation it will bring about between the two countries.

Discussions covered regional developments, with the King reiterating Jordan’s condemnation of Israel’s aggression against Qatar, and its full support for Qatar, affirming the importance of continued coordination with active partners to protect the sovereignty of states from further violations.

His Majesty stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid.

The King condemned Israel’s expansion of its ground operations in Gaza, which aim to displace Palestinians from their land.

His Majesty expressed Jordan’s support for the Qatari, Egyptian, and US efforts to implement an exchange agreement that would lead to an end to the aggression on Gaza.

The King also warned of the danger of continued Israeli violations of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.

The two leaders stressed the need to step up efforts to support Palestinians in achieving their full and legitimate rights.

They also noted the importance of supporting the efforts of Syria and Lebanon in maintaining their security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as the need to bolster cooperation with them across various fields.

The talks also covered the importance of reaching political solutions to the crises facing the region, in order to restore its security and stability.

For his part, Sheikh Tamim renewed his thanks to Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty, for its solidarity and support for Qatar and its people following the Israeli aggression against its sovereignty.

The King bestowed Al Hussein bin Ali Medal on Sheikh Tamim, the highest civilian medal in Jordan awarded to heads of state and royalty, to highlight the deep-rooted ties between the two countries, and on the occasion of Sheikh Tamim’s official visit to Jordan.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah, Minister of Finance Abdelhakim Shibli, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, General Intelligence Department Director Maj. Gen. Ahmad Husni, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Qatar Zaid Lozi attended the talks.

From the Qatari side, the attendees included Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Chief of the Amiri Diwan Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi, Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, Qatar’s Ambassador to Jordan Sheikh Saud bin Nasser bin Jassim Al Thani, and a number of senior officials.

His Majesty bid farewell to Sheikh Tamim at Marka Airport, at the conclusion of his visit to Jordan today.

//Petra//SS