His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday held talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper that focused on bilateral ties and regional developments, especially the peace process and the situation in Syria.

During the meeting, which was attended by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, King Abdullah stressed the need to improve the cooperation agreements signed between the two countries to boost bilateral relations, voicing appreciation for Canada’s support to Jordan, especially in the field of development and youth empowerment.

His Majesty also underlined the secure and stable investment environment in Jordan.

The King called on Canadian investors to utilise the Kingdom’s investment incentives and its strategic location as a gateway to regional markets.

On the peace process, His Majesty reiterated that the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital on the basis of the two-state solution lies at the heart of the Kingdom’s strategic interests.

On Syria, the King renewed Jordan’s unaltered stance that calls for a comprehensive political solution to the Syrian crisis that can end the suffering of the Syrian people and safeguard the territorial unity of their country, warning at the same time of the consequences of extremism, violence and terrorism on the entire region.

His Majesty also tackled Jordan’s increasing burdens resulting from hosting the largest number of Syrian refugees, expressing appreciation for Canadian assistance to the Kingdom in this regard.

For his part, Harper expressed his country’s keenness on maintaining coordination and consultation with Jordan, stressing at the same time that Jordan’s development endeavours and reform process represent a model of success in the Middle East region.

Harper also briefed the King on the outcomes of his visits to the Palestinian territories and Israel, commending His Majesty’s efforts towards peace and stability in the region.

In his welcome remarks, His Majesty commended the deeply rooted Jordanian-Canadian ties, expressing hopes that the free trade agreement (FTA) signed between the two countries would be fully utilised with the help of businesspeople from the two countries.

The discussions were attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, His Majesty’s Office Director Imad Fakhoury, and senior officials and diplomats from both sides.