His Majesty King Abdullah II stressed on Monday the important role of religious leaders in supporting efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East as part of a comprehensive settlement that ensures an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution.

During separate meetings with Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious leaders in Washington, King Abdullah also highlighted the need to strengthen values of tolerance and joint work to resolve conflicts in a way that ensures justice for all.

King Abdullah met with Reverend Mark S. Hanson, leader of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Reverend Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the American National Council of Churches, Imam Hassan Al Qazwini of the Islamic centre in Chicago and Imam Mohamed Majed of the Islamic centre in Virginia.

He commended them for their efforts to build bridges between faiths and civilisations and discussed ways to encourage further dialogue and mutual trust and respect among faiths. King Abdullah urged effective action to protect Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem and to confront attempts to change the holy city's religious identity.

The religious leaders said they appreciated Jordan's work on interfaith dialogue as well as its efforts to encourage moderation and coexistence as represented in the Amman Message and A Common Word. King Abdullah also held a similar discussion with Jewish religious leaders. The group represents the Union for Reform Judaism that supports the two-state solution as key to achieving peace and stability in the Middle East.