Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania early Thursday returned from a several-day European tour which included France, Slovenia and Austria.

Talks between King Abdullah and the leaders and officials in the three countries focused on means to enhance bilateral ties in various fields and regional developments.

The King started his visit in Paris, where he met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

King Abdullah and Sarkozy stressed the crucial timing in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, urging all concerned parties to seize the opportunity at hand to make peace on the basis of a two-state solution.

The King also discussed with the French president France's role in the peace process.

In Slovenia, King Abdullah stressed in his talks with President Danilo Türk that the Middle East is looking forward to a larger political role by the EU in supporting the peace process, especially as the two sides are engaged in talks over final status issues.

The King said Slovenia, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, can make a significant contribution to stability in the region and encourage an agreement that leads to the creation of an independent Palestinian state which lives side-by-side with Israel.

In Austria, the King held talks with Austrian President Heinz Fischer focusing on means to enhance cooperation between the two countries.

The King and Fischer discussed ways to encourage economic ties, especially in the fields of energy, commerce, education and the environment. The Austrian president said he accepted an invitation by King Abdullah to visit Jordan in November where both sides will sign an array of cooperative agreements in various sectors.

While in Austria, King Abdullah also met with Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency Mohammad Al Baradei.

His Majesty also held a meeting with Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, where they stressed the two countries' commitment to cooperation in economic and political fields.

When King Abdullah visited Austria in 2001, the two countries signed an agreement to protect and promote investments. Several agreements were signed between the Kingdom and Austria in the fields of culture, technology and the economy, in addition to civil aviation.