His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday voiced Jordan's appreciation for the role Russia plays in settling the Mideast conflict.
At a joint press conference with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, King Abdullah also commended Russia for helping countries address regional challenges, noting that Russia plays a “positive” role in supporting peace between the Palestinians and Israelis.
The King also underlined the importance Russia attaches to reforms in the region, noting that Jordan and Russia have a great opportunity to enhance bilateral economic cooperation.
He commended the Russian president's efforts to strengthen the “distinguished” relationship between the two countries.
“We believe more than ever in the importance of Russia, which enjoys high credibility in our region, to return the Palestinians and Israelis to the negotiating table and resolve the main issue in the Middle East, which is bringing about peace between the Palestinians and Israelis on one hand, and between the Arabs and Israelis on the other,” King Abdullah said.
Earlier in the day, King Abdullah and Medvedev discussed bilateral ties and prospects for further cooperation, particularly at the economic, investment and military levels, in addition to the latest developments in the region and efforts to arrive at a two-state solution.
The Russian president hailed the quality of ties between Amman and Moscow, which he said have witnessed remarkable developments in the past years.
Medvedev underlined his country's keenness to see the UN resolutions pertaining to the situation in the Middle East fully implemented, especially after the dramatic changes in several Arab countries.
During the discussions, which continued over a banquet held in honour of the King and the accompanying delegation, the two sides agreed to work toward further mutual investments and cooperation between the private sectors in the two countries.
Discussions also addressed ways for Jordan to benefit from Russia's military expertise in developing programmes and plans for the Jordan Armed Forces.
Medvedev commended King Abdullah's efforts to support peace, reiterating Russia's commitment to the peace process and the realisation of a just and comprehensive peace between the Palestinians and Israelis.
Also Thursday, King Abdullah met with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to discuss cooperation between the two countries.
During a press conference before the meeting, the King said opportunities to develop ties exist in the areas of energy, railway transport and other infrastructure through partnerships between the Jordanian and Russian private sectors.
King Abdullah noted that Jordan devotes special attention to the development of its tourism sector, especially religious tourism, which he said attracts more and more visitors from Russia each year.
Putin noted that more than 600 Jordanian students are currently studying in Russia, stressing his country's keenness to improve military cooperation with Jordan.
The King and Medvedev then discussed steps to boost cooperation in the field of nuclear energy through Russia's investment in Jordan's nuclear programme, as well as in the transport, water and agriculture sectors.
Jordan and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding to increase cooperation in the fields of oil exploration and energy during the visit.
In addition, the two countries renewed support for peace efforts in the Middle East that lead to an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
This was the second meeting between King Abdullah and Medvedev: the latter visited Jordan in January upon an invitation from the King.