His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday received the heads of Arab parliaments participating in the 29th session of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in Amman under the theme “Jerusalem: the eternal capital of the Palestinian state”.

During the meeting, held at Al Husseiniya Palace and attended by Speaker of the House of Representatives Atef Tarawneh, King Abdullah highlighted the importance of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union’s role in seeking to unify Arab positions on regional challenges, stressing the need to bolster Arab cooperation.

His Majesty said the challenges facing the Arab nation require cooperation and unified positions to further Arab interests and achieve regional security and stability.

The King urged stepping up Arab efforts to reach political solutions to crises facing Arab countries.

His Majesty reaffirmed Jordan’s steadfast position on the Palestinian cause, praising the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union for its advocacy of Palestinian rights, its defence of Jerusalem and its support for Palestinian refugees.

The meeting also covered efforts to counter terrorism and extremists and their ideology.

During the meeting, Egyptian House of Representatives Speaker and Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union President Ali Abdel Aal commended Jordan for embracing the Palestinian cause and defending the Arab identity of Jerusalem.

For his part, Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly Marzouq Alghanim praised Jordan’s exceptional effort in hosting Palestinian and Syrian refugees, stressing the need to support Jordanians for welcoming refugees to their homes despite their limited resources.

Speaker of the United Arab Emirates’ Federal National Council Amal Al Qubaisi commended His Majesty’s commitment to the Palestinian cause and joint Arab action, voicing hope that the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union and Arab governments can capitalise on growth opportunities to create a better future for the next generations.

Chairman of the Omani Shura Council Khalid Hilal Nasser Al Maawali emphasised that the success of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union session demonstrates Jordan’s key role in creating Arab consensus.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi and Adviser to His Majesty and Director of the Office of His Majesty Manar Dabbas attended the meeting.

In a separate meeting on Sunday, the King and Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri discussed the need to maintain coordination and consultation between Jordan and Lebanon on issues of mutual concern.

Discussions at the meeting, attended by His Royal Highness Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, also covered efforts to reach political solutions to crises facing Arab countries.

His Majesty asked Speaker Berri to convey his greetings to Lebanese President Michel Aoun.

Also on Sunday, the King received Speaker Alghanim of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, who conveyed the greetings of Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.

His Majesty asked Speaker Alghanim to convey his greetings to Sheikh Sabah, and thanked Kuwait for supporting Jordan and Arab causes.

Discussions covered the historical and strong ties between Jordan and Kuwait, and keenness to advance them further.

At a meeting with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed Al Halboosi, discussions addressed the importance of expanding Jordanian-Iraqi economic cooperation in trade and investment.

The King asked Speaker Halboosi to convey his greetings to Iraqi President Barham Salih, noting Iraq’s pivotal role in the region and reiterating that Jordan stands by Iraq’s efforts to safeguard its security and achieve further progress and prosperity.