His Majesty King Abdullah held talks with Governor General of Australia Peter Cosgrove at Al Husseiniya Palace on Wednesday on means to strengthen the two countries’ ties in various fields, and on regional and international developments.

During bilateral talks that were followed by expanded talks attended by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, Lady Cosgrove, and senior Jordanian and Australian officials; the two sides affirmed their commitment to continuing coordination and cooperation on issues of mutual concern, to advance relations and bolster global peace and security.

King Abdullah welcomed the Australian governor general and his delegation to Jordan, stressing the Kingdom’s keenness to expand its economic, security, and defence partnership with Australia.

Thanking Governor General Cosgrove for the hospitality shown during the state visit to Australia last year, His Majesty said the two countries have always had a warm relationship and strong political, military, and security ties.

The King also expressed commitment to working towards strengthening economic ties with Australia.

Jordan and Australia face common challenges, His Majesty continued, noting that the governor general’s visit is a reminder of the special relationship shared by the two countries and their peoples.

This visit is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation, exchange views, and work jointly in a holistic approach to face the global challenge of terrorism, the King said.

For his part, Governor General Cosgrove thanked Their Majesties for their hospitality, noting that his country is proud of its deep-rooted ties with Jordan.

The governor general also congratulated Crown Prince Al Hussein on his graduation from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and praised his speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Recalling Their Majesties’ visit to Australia last year, Governor General Cosgrove voiced hope that his visit to Jordan will be a further demonstration of the friendship between the two countries that will continue to prosper in the future.

Discussions covered efforts to push the peace process forward and relaunch serious and effective negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis to resolve the conflict and secure just and comprehensive peace.

Talks addressed the huge burden carried by Jordan due to the Syrian refugee crisis, with the King thanking Australia for its support to mitigate the impact of this burden and enable the Kingdom to continue to provide humanitarian and relief services to the refugees.

The two sides also stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to reach political solutions to Middle East crises that restore security and stability to the region.

In addition, the talks touched on regional and international efforts in the fight against terrorism within a holistic strategy, as well as conditions in Jerusalem.

His Majesty reaffirmed the importance of maintaining the legal and historical status quo in the holy city, and safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites there.

Prime Minister Hani Mulki, Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Minister of Political and Parliamentary Affairs and the visiting delegation’s Escort of Honour Musa Maaytah, Jordan’s Ambassador to Australia Ali Kreishan, Australian Ambassador to Jordan Miles Armitage, and the accompanying delegation attended the talks.

Their Majesties hosted an official lunch in honour of Governor General Cosgrove, Lady Cosgrove, and the accompanying delegation, which was attended by the Crown Prince, as well as a number of senior officials.

Governor General Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove were welcomed to Al Husseiniya Palace in an official ceremony, where Their Majesties and His Royal Highness received them.