His Majesty King Abdullah continued a series of meetings with US Congress members on Wednesday, discussing Jordanian-US relations and the latest developments in the Middle East, especially in relation to combating terrorism.

King Abdullah met with Speaker of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California).

The King expressed Jordan’s gratitude for US support through the House of Representatives and through other financial assistance, which has reached around $1.2 billion annually, helping Jordan better deal with the repercussions of regional challenges and the issue of Syrian refugees.

His Majesty highlighted the distinguished relations between the two countries and their shared views on many regional and global crises.

Turning to anti-terrorism, the King stressed the importance of pursuing international efforts to confront the danger of terrorism, within a comprehensive strategic approach.

His Majesty reaffirmed the need to arrive at a political solution to the crisis in Syria that would end the suffering of the Syrian people.

The King highlighted the burdens borne by Jordan as a result of hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees, who constitute around 20 per cent of the Kingdom’s population.

His Majesty highlighted the positive developments resulting from global cooperation within the framework of the US-led military coalition against Daesh, in terms of defeating the terror group in several areas in Iraq, which paves the way for further positive results in the war on terrorism.

The King and US Congressional leaders also asserted the importance of the resumption of Middle East peace negotiations, especially since the absence of peace incites tension in the region and provides fertile grounds for terrorists to recruit young people and exploit the high rate of unemployment among them.

The lawmakers commended the King’s efforts to achieve peace and ensure regional security and stability, stressing their continued support for Jordan and its development and economic reform plans.

They lauded Jordan’s efforts in hosting refugees and providing them with humanitarian assistance.