News

King meets heads of Dutch Senate, House

21 March 2018

His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with President of the Senate of the Netherlands Ankie Broekers-Knol and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands Khadija Arib, to discuss bilateral ties, as well as regional and international developments.

Highlighting the historical ties between the two countries, King Abdullah expressed appreciation for the Dutch decision to name Jordan among partner countries that are designated as a focus of Dutch development cooperation.

His Majesty also called for maintaining coordination and consultation, while expanding cooperation in the legislative, economic, technology, and investment fields.

For her part, Senate President Broekers-Knol, in welcoming remarks on behalf of the two parliament chambers, affirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to building on its deep-rooted ties with Jordan and advancing economic and trade cooperation.

Praising Jordan’s resilience amidst regional challenges, she said the Kingdom has earned the world’s respect as a stabilising factor in the region and for its humanitarian efforts to serve refugees.

Noting that countering the threat of terrorism requires global cooperation, she highlighted the strategic partnership between Jordan and the Netherlands to fight terrorism and seek peace, security, and prosperity in the region and the world.

Discussions at the meeting covered the agreement on simplifying the EU rules of origin, as well as challenges and crises in the region.

On the Palestinian issue, the King called for stepping up efforts to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and international law and relevant UN resolutions, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The two sides also discussed UNRWA’s vital role and the importance of supporting it to ensure it continues providing educational, health, and relief services to refugees.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Adviser to His Majesty and Director of the Office of His Majesty Manar Dabbas, Trade Minister Yarub Qudah, and Jordan’s Ambassador to the Netherlands Ahmad Al Mufleh attended the meeting.