(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) The Hague, March 21 (Petra) - His Majesty King Abdullah II discussed with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Hague on Wednesday, ways to boost Jordanian-Dutch relations in various fields as well as regional developments.
The King and the Dutch prime minister agreed to expand cooperation between the two countries, especially in the fields of trade, renewable energy, agriculture, water management, transport, small and medium enterprises, innovation, telecommunications, information technology and military.
During the bilateral and expanded talks, the King and the Dutch prime minister stressed the importance of the agreements signed by Jordan and the Netherlands during the visit, and the need to build on them to serve the interests of the two countries and the two friendly peoples.
They also agreed to continue coordination and consultations on various regional and international issues.
The talks also dealt with simplifying the rules of origin between Jordan and the European Union and opportunities to build on it to increase Jordanian exports to the European markets, and attract new investments to the Kingdom, in addition to benefiting from Dutch expertise in technical training.
The King expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Netherlands to Jordan to enable it to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis and implement many development programs.
The talks also touched upon the crises facing the Middle East region and the need to intensify efforts to reach political solutions that restore security and stability for the region's peoples.
On developments related to the Palestinian issue, His Majesty the King stressed that reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue is a key to achieving stability in the whole region, pointing out the important role of the EU in pushing the peace process forward.
In this regard, King Abdullah stressed the need to exert more efforts to build confidence in the peace process and to re-launch negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis on the basis of the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The talks also dealt with the impact of the Israeli measures, including the construction of settlements, on opportunities to achieve peace, in addition to the challenges facing churches in Jerusalem, and the role of Jordan in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in the holy city.
The discussions also dealt with the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the need for international support to enable it to continue its humanitarian and relief role.
Regional and international efforts on the war on terrorism within a holistic strategy were also reviewed during the talks.
His Majesty warned of Islamophobia in Western societies so that extremists would not use it as a pretext to feed their terrorist agendas.
The meeting was attended by the minister of foreign affairs and expatriates, the King's advisor, the director of the King's Office, the minister of industry, trade and supply and the Jordanian ambassador to the Netherlands.
The talks were also attended on the Dutch side by the foreign, the minister of foreign trade and development cooperation, the minister of agriculture, the minister of Infrastructure and water, the Dutch ambassador to Jordan and ,and commander of the Dutch armed forces.
Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania Al Abdullah attended the official lunch hosted by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte & in honor of Their Majesties and the accompanying delegation, in the presence of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima.
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21/3/2018 - 06:10:21 PM
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