His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday underscored the urgency of implementing a decentralisation programme that seeks to involve citizens more effectively in the Kingdom's decision-making process.

At a meeting with several community leaders from across the country, King Abdullah said that in coming weeks and months, concerned state institutions will study strategies for completing the project, which enjoys the support of all stakeholders.

The King also called on all those involved to deal with the programme seriously in order for it to move forward.

During Monday's meeting, convened to discuss several domestic and regional challenges and policies in place to deal with them, King Abdullah said he was hopeful about the future and confident that the country can overcome its challenges and achieve, provided that all stakeholders work as one team.

The meeting also covered political, economic and development issues, as well as ways to deal with regional developments to best serve Jordanian and Arab interests.

King Abdullah also reiterated Jordan's support for the Palestinians in their struggle to obtain their legitimate rights, especially the right to establish an independent Palestinian state.

The King added that Jordan will continue to coordinate with other Arab countries to face regional challenges.

King Abdullah also addressed remarks about concerns of Jordan being targeted as an alternative Palestinian homeland. He said hopes that that the issue will be dropped from the national discourse and that references to it, whether by Israelis or others, will be ignored by Jordanians.

The meeting was attended by Chief of Royal Court Nasser Lozi, the King's Adviser for Tribal Affairs Sharif Fawaz Zaben, King's Adviser Ayman Safadi, and the Royal Hashemite Court Adviser Yusuf Hassan Al Isawi.