His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday held a summit meeting with US President Barack Obama at the White House over the global efforts to fight terrorism, the latest developments in the Syrian crisis and Mideast peace.

The meeting, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, also addressed ways to “entrench the strategic partnership between Jordan and the US, in light of the pivotal role Jordan is playing in the region.”

At a joint press conference following the talks, the two leaders stressed their keenness to maintain coordination and consultation as they deal with the challenges that face the region and the world and ways to enhance bilateral ties.

King Abdullah paid tribute to Washington’s continued support to Jordan, noting that no country has supported Jordan as did the US, “whether it is to the economy, so that we can take the challenge of refugees to our country; but also to the military and security, so that we can defend our borders, but also secure our people.”

His Majesty also voiced appreciation of Obama’s leadership in dealing with the Daesh terrorist group, at a time when the international community is attempting to find “a political solution” to the conflict in Syria.

In addition to Syria and the anti-terror fight, the King said the talks also tackled means to revive the Mideast peace process to bring “hope to the Israelis and Palestinians”.

“These are obviously challenging times, but hope is something that we have to bring to both sides,” His Majesty said.

In response to a question on the situation in Syria and Jordan-US cooperation in this regard, the King stressed: “The relationship and coordination with the United States is outstanding and one of the reasons we are here is to make sure that we are taking the coordination between our two countries to the next level.”

“As to what is happening in Syria, obviously the political process is, I think, the priority at the moment and we are all supportive of what John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov are doing as part of the political process; but at the same time making sure that the second part of that dimension is the fight against ISIS and Daesh. And I think that both elements are complementary to each other.”

In his statement, Obama said the talks “with one of our most stalwart allies in the world” covered the enormous challenges facing Jordan, as well as the situation in Syria, Iraq and the war against Daesh.

“Jordan has been an outstanding partner in that process,” said Obama. “As I’ve said publicly, we have seen progress in pushing back against ISIL in territory both in Iraq and now in some portions of Syria.  But a lot of work remains to be done.”

The president lauded the Kingdom’s “enormous” contribution to the anti-terror fight, noting that “Jordan is a country that punches above its weight when it comes to the fight against ISIL”.

Obama said he briefed the King on his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the cessation of hostilities agreement, noting that he would not want to raise expectations on the deal.

“The situation on the ground is difficult, but we have seen modest progress over the course of the last week or so with respect to humanitarian access to populations that are threatened.”

Obama continued that the talks also covered the question of refugees hosted by Jordan and other countries of the region, affirming Washington’s appreciation of the Kingdom’s hospitality in hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrian nationals, and voicing his country’s continued support for Jordan in this effort.

He also voiced pride in US assistance to Jordan: “Considering everything that Jordan is doing essentially for the region and the world, and the strains that this has placed their economy under, I think it’s important for them to know that the United States is there every step of the way.”

The US president also paid tribute to the King’s role in Mideast peace talks and efforts to ease tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.

“His Majesty has continued to be a voice of reason and moderation and tolerance for all the parties concerned in this issue. And we very much appreciate his partnership in the process,” said Obama, adding that the US is “lucky to have a friend like Jordan”.

He said he hopes that the Jordanian people would feel that the US is with them during these difficult times, reassuring that the two countries are in sync on all issues discussed and “that will continue as long as I’m president and long after I’m gone, thanks to the leadership of His Majesty”.

The two leaders discussed the Syrian crisis in light of the latest developments related to the ceasefire and the follow-up on the implementation of the Munich security conference communiqué on the ground.

The King and Obama stressed the importance of reaching a comprehensive political solution that ends the bloodshed and ensures the unity of the Syrian land and people.

The leaders also discussed the outcomes of the London donor conference, calling for implementing them and supporting Jordan through a sustainable approach based on attracting investments and stimulating growth, rather than merely providing assistance.

Talks, according to the statement, also covered means to support the Iraqi government’s efforts to combat terrorism and fight the Daesh terror group, with emphasis placed on the need to ensure Iraq’s unity and inclusiveness. In addition, the two leaders discussed international anti-terror efforts, reiterating the importance of adopting a holistic approach that entails security, military and ideological elements.

The King and Obama also called for combating all terror hotbeds in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, as well as other regions.

Discussions touched on the situation in Libya, with the two leaders urging action and unified efforts to prevent Daesh from securing a foothold there.

Moreover, His Majesty and the US president exchanged views on means to revive Middle East peace talks.

The King reaffirmed the importance of having the Palestinian cause as first and foremost, describing it as the region’s central issue.

The US has increased its support for Jordan, with Congress approving an increase of yearly aid from $1 billion to $1.275 billion, the statement said.

The aid is aimed at bolstering the Kingdom’s economy, safeguarding its borders, combating terrorism and alleviating the pressures brought on by regional crises.

Obama has also signed the 2015 US-Jordan defence cooperation law, which enhances military cooperation, gives Jordan the same level as US allies within NATO and facilitates measures related to military assistance to the Kingdom.