His Majesty King Abdullah received today a telephone call from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during which they discussed developments in the Middle East, especially efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution.

During the telephone conversation, King Abdullah congratulated Clinton on her appointment, approved by the US Senate on Wednesday. The King said he looked forward to working with the new US administration to launch serious and effective negotiations as soon as possible, with the aim of reaching a two-state solution, which, he said, is the only way to achieve peace and security in the region.

Yesterday, King Abdullah also received a telephone call from US President Barack Obama during which the two leaders discussed regional developments as well as bilateral relations.

A White House press statement released yesterday said the US president was committed to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace. The statement also emphasised President Obama's determination to work with all parties concerned and the international community to help consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate reconstruction efforts in the strip.