His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with US Secretary of State John Kerry and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and efforts to achieve peace, as well as the latest developments in the region, especially the Syrian crisis.

King Abdullah stressed the importance of continued US efforts to help the Palestinian and Israeli sides re-launch negotiations based on the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state on pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The King affirmed that Jordan will continue to work with all parties to revive real and genuine peace negotiations that address all final status issues.

During the meeting, attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, His Majesty referred to the Arab Peace Initiative and its importance in achieving comprehensive peace in the region.

He stressed the leading US role in supporting peacemaking efforts to resolve the Palestinian cause, which is the crux of the conflict in the region, warning that unilateral Israeli actions and ongoing attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites constitute a real obstacle to peace efforts.

On Syria, the King said the growing number of Syrian refugees puts a tremendous burden on Jordan and its resources, calling on the international community to continue supporting the Kingdom.

His Majesty renewed Jordan's call for a political, comprehensive and transitional solution to the Syrian crisis in a manner that preserves the unity and territorial integrity of Syria and wards off disastrous repercussions on the region.

Kerry highlighted US efforts to revive the peace process, hailing Jordan's efforts led by the King to push peacemaking forward and promote security and stability in the Middle East.

He commended Jordan for hosting a large number of Syrian refugees, stressing that the US will continue backing Jordan in this regard and urging further support from the international community.