His Majesty King Abdullah II arrived in Khartoum on Monday on a two-day visit, where he will hold talks with Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir.



In an arrival statement King Abdullah said " I'm very optimistic that this visit would further deepen bilateral relations in political, economic and military fields." Our role as leaders is to strengthen the close brotherly ties linking the Jordanian and Sudanese peoples," said King Abdullah who arrived from Manama after concluding a two-day visit to Bahrain, where he held talks with Bahraini Monarch on bilateral relations and development of events on the Arab and international scenes.



Bashir said King Abdullah's visit is specially important as t comes amidst difficult Arab and regional circumstances that require intensive and concerted Arab efforts to face the challenges ahead.



"We are very happy because our relations with Jordan set a model in all fields," Bashir told reporters. The King's visit came within the frame of joint cooperating and consulting between the two countries.



King Abdullah hoped that an Arab consensus would be reached soon on venue and date for the postponed Arab summit as well as on the topic on the Summit agenda particularly with regard to the Palestinian problem, the situation in Iraq, means of reinvigorating the peace process and reform plans in the Middle East.



Interviewed by the Chief Editor of the Sudanese paper "Akhbar Al Yum" published Monday, King Abdullah also hoped the summit would draw up a strong mechanism that could help boost the joint Arab action and activate the role of the Arab League.



The King said the efforts he has been exerting in the Arab region and with world leaders are designed "to push the peace process forward, keep the roadmap peace plan alive, and to put an end to Israeli violations as well as to the cycle of the ongoing violence in the Palestinian areas."



Reiterating the right of the Iraqi people to determine their future, King Abdullah called for providing support to the Iraqis to help them chart their future and rule themselves.



Answering a question on the deteriorating security in Iraq, King Abdullah said "We count on the Iraqi people awareness and their keenness on preserving their territorial integrity and we hope division and fragmentation would not find a room in Iraq because the future of Iraq
concerns Jordan in as much as it concerns Iraq."



King Abdullah said his proposed visit to the United States this month would focus on the need for the U.S. to put its weight behind the peace process because "we are fully convinced that the only way to realize stability and security in the region is to secure Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territories." This is contingent with the success of negotiations and the recognition of each party in the right of the other to live in peace and security, the King added.



King Abdullah highly appreciated the Sudanese leadership's brave steps to resume peace talks with the opposition group to put an end to an overdue conflict. " I congratulate my brother President Omar Al Bashir on this achievement and appreciate his wisdom and courage," King Abdullah said. He hoped a final agreement would be reached soon between the two parties to achieve an accord amongst the Sudanese to help them use their resources for achieving more progress and prosperity.



On the Sudanese patients who receive medication in Jordan, King Abdullah said he has instructed the government and the private sector to offer all facilities to the Sudanese brothers who come to Jordan for medical treatment.



About 7,000 Sudanese citizens visit Jordan every year for medication.