His Majesty King Abdullah held a dinner banquet in honour of visiting Finnish President Tarja Halonen and her spouse, Pentti Arajarv.

In remarks at the dinner, King Abdullah said that the future “can only witness more mutually beneficial cooperation. Our governments and private sectors are working together, both bilaterally and in the Euro-Med Partnership”.

He added: “I am happy to say that Jordan is in the final stages of reaching an advanced status agreement with the EU. This will create new opportunities for Finns and Jordanians to work together, in trade, tourism, investment, knowledge-building and much more.”

The King expressed appreciation for Finland's commitment to human rights and global understanding.

“These are deep values for the Jordanian people as well,” he said. “Our country has a long heritage of moderation and respect for others, and we are doing everything we can to end global prejudices and divisions that are hurting our common humanity”.

At the banquet, attended by Royal family members, senior officials, members of the Finnish delegation and EU ambassadors in Jordan, King Abdullah noted that last month Jordan introduced a UN resolution to establish World Interfaith Harmony Week.

“We hope that each year, during this week, the world's people, in their own places of worship, would express the teachings of their own faith about tolerance, respect for the other and peace,” he said. “We count on Finland's support for this annual event that aims to help bring our peoples ever close together in friendship and respect.”

He also thanked Finland for its efforts to make peace in the Middle East.

The King said the continuation of conflict in the region is a threat to global peace and security.

“All of us must work to end it, starting by ensuring a negotiated settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution. The whole world agrees that the establishment of a viable, independent Palestinian state, living side by side a secure Israel, is the only path to a future of peace,” he said.

The King urged the international community to “throw its weight behind efforts to reach this solution that will open the door for a comprehensive regional peace; for Israel to have normal relations with 57 Arab and Muslim states. The alternative is much more destruction and division. We can't afford to waste any time, any lives”.

He noted that Finland has earned widespread trust for balanced, credible diplomacy and an ethic of global responsibility, and addressed the Finnish president, saying: “I look forward to working closely with you on forging a stronger partnership; a partnership that will yield more benefits to our peoples, and will help realise the rights of all peoples of the region, to a future of peace, promise and opportunity.”

President Halonen said commended the King's “efforts to promote peace in the region. You have influenced both the ongoing peace process and previous peace initiatives. I respect very much your active role in the Middle East peace process”.

She added that as a European Union member state, Finland “strongly supports the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians”. The negotiations, she said, should lead to a two-state solution that allows Israel and an “independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine to live side by side in peace and security”.

She added that Finland and Jordan have good relations. Despite the geographical distance between the two countries, “your visit to Finland in 2006 strengthened our bilateral relations. In future, we could further intensify our collaboration particularly in the fields of economy and trade.”