His Majesty King Abdullah II, who is currently on a several-day visit to South Africa, held talks on Tuesday with South African President Thabo Mbeki on means of boosting bilateral relations in various fields in addition to discussing issues related to the Middle East and Africa.



The two sides expressed their keenness on activating bilateral relations and developing them in all walks of life. King Abdullah drew attention to existing opportunities for the private sector and business communities of both countries to establish joint ventures.



President Mbeki called to expedite negotiations to conclude an agreement that forms a comprehensive framework for bilateral cooperation in the economic, trade and investment fields.



King Abdullah expressed Jordan's readiness to provide South Africa with Jordanian expertise in the educational field. The King indicated that Jordan will allocate a number of educational scholarships for Muslim South African students in the field of Islamic Studies at Jordanian universities.



His Majesty also voiced his appreciation to President Mbeki for South Africa's participation in the recent International Islamic Conference held in Amman, stating that this conference allowed Islamic scholars a platform where various issues were discussed that are of importance to Islam and Muslims.



On the latest political developments in Middle East, His Majesty King Abdullah reviewed, at a meeting attended by Foreign Minister Farouq Qasrawi, Jordan's diligent efforts to revive the peace process, stressing Jordan's keenness to continue the political process, particularly after Israel completes its withdrawal from Gaza.



The two leaders urged the international community to back up the peace process to achieve a just and lasting peace that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.



The two leaders agreed on the importance of coordinating the positions of Arab and African states to confront various challenges facing developing countries to achieve socio-economic development for the peoples of the two regions.



President Mbeki, who was officially invited to visit Jordan, extended an official invitation to His Majesty to pay a state visit to South Africa and deliver a speech to its parliament.