His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with President of the European Council Herman van Rompuy and President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso.

Discussions addressed regional and international issues of mutual interest as well as steps needed to develop economic cooperation between Jordan and the EU.

King Abdullah voiced appreciation for the EU's support for Jordan and interest in increased cooperation with the Kingdom. He also underscored the EU's role in supporting Middle East peace-making efforts and praised the union for its clear position on Israeli settlements.

Emphasising the importance of achieving peace, the King asserted that unilateral Israeli measures must end, especially Israel's settlement activity, saying that such measures threaten the the peace process.

On the sidelines of the visit, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Jafar Hassan signed the Euro-Mediterranean Aviation Agreement between Jordan and the EU.

Hassan said the agreement will strengthen the Euro-Med aviation sector.

The agreement, which was initialled in March 2010, will ensure the establishment of common standards in the field of air transport and the progressive opening-up of markets. It will allow airlines to extend their services from any point in Jordan, Europe and Euro-Med partner countries without any restrictions on charges and carrying capacity.