Saudi Arabia, Jordan review strategy to end IS menace

RIYADH: 26 February 2015

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman held wide-ranging talks here Wednesday with King Abdallah of Jordan on a range of key regional issues with special reference to the ways and means to boost bilateral links further.

King Salman expressed hope that the visit of the Jordanian king would further enhance bilateral cooperation in different areas, including security and counterterrorism.

During the talks, the two leaders underlined the need to formulate common policies on challenges facing the Middle East region. “They exchanged cordial talks and discussed issues of common interest between the Kingdom and Jordan,” said the SPA.

Arab News could not reach Jordanian Ambassador Jamal Shamayleh for more information. But, a diplomatic source, preferring anonymity, said “the talks covered a number of regional issues, including the campaign against the Islamic State.”

“Jordan, a country invited by the GCC to join the bloc, has been a close regional ally of the Kingdom,” he added.

King Salman hosted a lunch banquet in honor of the Jordanian king and his accompanying delegation.

The talks and the luncheon banquet were attended by top Saudi officials and several members of the royal family, including Crown Prince Muqrin; Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, National Guard Minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah and Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf.

From the Jordanian side, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh; Fayez Al-Tarawneh, chief of the Hashemite Royal Court; Gen. Mashal Al-Zaben, chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff; and Gen. Faisal Al-Shoubaki, director of the General Intelligence Department, were present.

Later on Wednesday, King Abdallah left for Jordan and was seen off by Crown Prince Muqrin at the airport.