His Majesty King Abdullah will meet tomorrow Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, mainly in the economic, trade and investment fields.



The two leaders will also discuss the Middle East peace process, especially after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.



King Abdullah and President Putin will also talk, during their meeting at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, about the situation in Iraq and the international efforts to combat terrorism.



In an interview with the Russian news agency, Itar-Tass, and Channel One TV in Russia, King Abdullah said: "Russia, being a part of the Quartet, plays a very important role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process… I think that [Russia's] continued support for Palestinians and Israelis to move forward is exactly what we need."



On bilateral economic cooperation, His Majesty said economic relations between the two countries are very important, saying that Jordan hopes to sign a free trade agreement with Russia.



King Abdullah talked to the agency and the TV station about efforts exerted to reflect the true essence of Islam, stressing that the overwhelming majority of Muslims "have to stand up and say these extremists have nothing to do with Islam."



Also today, the King and the accompanying delegation, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Feisal and Prince Hamzah, Royal Court Chief Faisal Fayez and the King's Adviser on Security Affairs and Director of the National Security Field Marshal Saad Kheir, visited the MAKS 2005 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky near Moscow where he was briefed on state-of-the-art technologies in aircraft engines, air defence systems and space equipment.