His Majesty King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad on Sunday held talks that resulted in a Syrian decision to free a number of Jordanian prisoners and agreement on outstanding issues between the two countries.

According to a joint communiqué following the talks, several agreements have been marked for signature including an agreement to provide Jordan with its need of wheat from Syria to be concluded during the next meeting of the Joint Jordanian-Syrian Higher Committee.

Both leaders issued directives to their respective governments to convene a meeting of the committee in Amman before the end of the year with the aim of signing bilateral agreements discussed, and to translate these agreements into programmes and actions with specific timelines.

The two sides also agreed to expedite the implementation of existing bilateral agreements, especially with regard to both countries' shares in the water of the Yarmouk River basin.

On the issue of border delineation, the King, who returned home later Sunday, and Assad agreed that the technical committees should commence their work immediately to settle the issue.

Regarding joint Arab action, both leaders stressed their determination to activate Arab solidarity to face the challenges in the Middle East.

They expressed commitment to working and coordinating with Arab leaders to establish a unified Arab position on regional issues in isolation from external interference, and on bases that safeguard higher Arab interests and the interests of both countries in confronting political and security challenges as well as radicalism and terrorism.

The two leaders expressed keenness to intensify cooperation and coordination with Arab leaders to ensure the success of an Arab League summit that will be held in Damascus in 2008.

The two leaders said facing regional and international challenges that encounter the Arab nation require unifying positions of the Arab countries and overcoming differences.

On the Palestinian issue, the two leaders stressed the importance of reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of the Arab Peace Initiative and international resolutions that provide for the return of all occupied Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese lands.

They also emphasised their full support for the Palestinian National Authority in its efforts to establish the Palestinian state and build its institutions, calling upon the Palestinian people to overcome their differences and unify their positions in order to protect the future of the Palestinian cause and the interests of the Palestinian people.

The two leaders also discussed the situation in Lebanon, underlining their full respect to the sovereignty of Lebanon and denouncing the assassinations targeting Lebanese people.

Both leaders also rejected all foreign interference in Lebanon's internal affairs and underscored the need for Lebanon to reach consensus on the presidential election.

The King and Assad also stressed the importance of Arab support for Iraq's unity, sovereignty and stability. Both leaders emphasised that solutions concerning the situation in Iraq should primarily come from within the war-torn country.

They said they support comprehensive national reconciliation in Iraq and the ongoing political process there.