His Majesty King Abdullah, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, visited Turkey on Wednesday and held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the latest developments related to Jerusalem, on the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s stated desire to move the United States embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The talks also covered regional and international developments, and means to advance cooperation in various areas.

At bilateral talks, which followed by expanded talks, the two leaders affirmed the importance of bolstering Jordanian-Turkish cooperation in economy, commerce, defence, and culture, as well as maintaining coordination on various issues.

The visit comes in line with the ongoing coordination between the two countries, and in continuation of the consultations between King Abdullah and President Erdoğan during his visit to Jordan in August.

The talks covered means to bolster bilateral ties and issues of mutual concern, as well as regional developments, foremost of which is the Palestinian issue, especially since Jordan currently chairs the Arab Summit, while Turkey chairs the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

In a press statement that followed the expanded talks, His Majesty said the visit to Ankara follows President Erdoğan’s successful visit to Jordan earlier this year “and comes at a very timely moment”.

Affirming the deep-rooted ties that the two countries share, as they mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, the King said Jordan and Turkey look forward to expanding their ongoing political, economic, and security cooperation.

There is vast potential to increase trade and investment levels, His Majesty added, voicing hope that ministers on both sides will take Jordanian-Turkish ties into a new phase.

The King said current regional developments require close coordination and consultations, thanking President Erdoğan for supporting Jordan on Jerusalem and for working closely to overcome the challenges facing the Muslim nation and the region.

“As we both agree, the Palestinian cause continues to be the region’s central issue. There is no alternative to the two-state solution, and Jerusalem is key to any peace agreement. And it is key to the stability of the entire region,” His Majesty said.

“I did re-emphasise to the US president yesterday our concerns on the decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Therefore, it is imperative now to work fast to reach a final status solution and a peace agreement between Palestinians and Israelis. And this must allow Palestinians to establish their independent state, side by side with Israel and its capital in East Jerusalem,” the King noted.

“Ignoring the Palestinian, Muslim and Christian rights in Jerusalem will only fuel further extremism, and undermine the war against terrorism,” His Majesty warned.

“We in Jordan, as the Custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites, we will persist in undertaking our religious and historical responsibilities towards Al Aqsa Mosque and Al Haram Al Sharif, and uphold our role in protecting Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem,” the King affirmed.

“As the President has mentioned, we are both in full agreement on the need for holding an OIC Summit on Jerusalem next week that will bring together Arabs and Muslim leaders,” His Majesty added.

Turning to Syria, the King said: “Efforts at this stage should be directed to building on the Astana talks to realise a political solution according to the Geneva process, and ensuring Syria’s unity, stability and safety for its people.”

His Majesty noted that Jordan and Turkey “stand shoulder to shoulder to face the challenges that lie ahead”.

For his part, President Erdoğan welcomed the King and thanked Jordan for its solidarity and support in the fight against terrorism.

Expressing satisfaction at the current trade level, President Erdoğan said it will continue to grow through investments and major projects, citing the various agreements that the two countries have signed to advance ties.

Turkey shares Jordan’s concerns on Jerusalem, he noted, stressing the important role of the Kingdom as the custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city.

Taking a wrong step on Jerusalem will cause a reaction in the entire Muslim world, the Turkish president warned, stressing that it would destroy the foundation for peace, and ignite new tensions and conflicts in the region.

President Erdoğan said Turkey, as current chair of the OIC, will convene an extraordinary summit meeting in Istanbul on 13 December, which will follow a meeting at the foreign minister level.

A final declaration will be released after the meetings, he noted, and the Muslim world will play a crucial role in standing together, and standing strong for the preservation and protection of Jerusalem’s status.

Jordan and Turkey, he continued, share the same views on the importance of the territorial integrity of both Syria and Iraq.

The two countries are also hosting millions of refugees, President Erdoğan said, stressing that Jordan and Turkey’s cooperation in this regard will become stronger in the future to contribute to regional peace, prosperity, and security.

The expanded talks—attended by His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammed, chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy to His Majesty, and senior officials on both sides—covered means to enhance trade regulations between the two countries and increase Jordanian exports to Turkey.

The trade volume between Jordan and Turkey has reached $1 billion, and is expected to continue to increase.

The two sides discussed the potential to increase Turkish investments in Jordan.

Turkish officials also expressed interest in the advantages offered by Aqaba as a logistics and tourism hub, pointing to the potential to increase the number of flights to Jordan, thus increasing the number of Turkish tourists.

Discussions addressed public-private infrastructure and transport projects in the two countries, with the Turkish side expressing interest in advancing cooperation in water and road planning.

President Erdoğan said Turkey seeks to support vocational training in Jordan by establishing a vocational school and expanding cooperation in higher education.

The talks also covered regional developments, particularly the Palestinian issue and the importance of preserving the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem.

Changing the status quo would have negative implications on regional security and stability.

His Majesty thanked Turkey for supporting Jordan in its efforts to safeguard Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, in line with the Hashemite Custodianship.

Moreover, discussions touched on efforts to reach political solutions to regional crises, restoring security and stability for the region’s peoples.

Talks also addressed the Syrian crisis, with the two sides affirming the importance of reaching a political solution through the Geneva process that guarantees the country’s territorial integrity and the security of its people, while also allowing for the return of refugees.

The two sides discussed regional and international efforts to fight the global threat of terrorism within a holistic approach.

Prime Minister Hani Mulki, Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Trade Minister Yarub Qudah, and Jordanian Charge D’Affaires in Ankara Sinan Majali attended the talks from the Jordanian side.

On the Turkish side, Deputy Prime Minister Hakan Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Customs and Trade Bülent Tüfenkçi, Turkey’s Ambassador to Jordan Murat Karagöz, and a number of senior officials were in attendance.

President Erdoğan and the first lady also hosted a lunch banquet in honour of King Abdullah and Queen Rania.