His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday met with a delegation from the Arab and International Relations Council (AIRC) led by AIRC Chairman Mohammed Jassim Al Saqr to discuss regional issues.

King Abdullah stressed Jordan's stance that the Palestinian issue remains central to the region, and that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must end with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and based on the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The King highlighted the importance of the efforts by US Secretary of State John Kerry to advance the peace process, and pointed out positive indications from all parties to resume peace negotiations.

On the Syrian crisis, His Majesty reiterated Jordan's call for a political solution that ends the bloodshed and preserves Syria's unity.

His Majesty pointed to the increasing burden being shouldered by Jordan due to the influx of more than half a million Syrian refugees, adding to economic challenges in education, health, real estate and labour market.

During the meeting, attended by Senate President Taher Masri and Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, the King stressed Jordan's support for the will of the Egyptian people and for preserving the security and stability of Egypt and increasing its ability to play its due role in the Arab world and the region.

His Majesty also stressed the importance of the Council's role in activating coordination and consultation processes among Arab countries, especially at these critical times for the region.

Members of the delegation included former Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, former Arab League Secretary General Amr Mousa and former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.

Al Saqr and delegation members praised His Majesty’s efforts to enhance peace and stability in the region and support Arab and Islamic causes, as well as the Kingdom's efforts to provide services to Syrian refugees.

The Kuwait-based Arab and International Relations Council, established in 2011, is a non-profit organisation concerned with political, economic, and social issues in the Arab world.