His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and discussed the latest regional developments, with emphasis on the Palestinian peace process and the situation in Syria.

During his meeting with Ban, who is in the Kingdom as part of a regional tour, King Abdullah stressed the vital role the UN plays in pushing the peace process forward on the basis of the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative.

His Majesty highlighted the US efforts which led to the resumption of peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis on Wednesday, adding that the ultimate goal of the peace talks should be the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital that can live in harmony with Israel.

The King emphasised that resolving all the final status issues and establishing an independent and viable Palestinian state on Palestinian soil lies at the heart of Jordan’s national interests.

His Majesty stressed the symbolic and religious significance of Jerusalem for all Muslims and Christians, warning against the continuation of unilateral measures taken by the Israelis in a bid to Judaise the holy city and change its identity. The King stressed that these attempts will have a serious impact on the peace process.

Regarding the ongoing sectarian violence in Syria, His Majesty reiterated Jordan’s call for a comprehensive political solution to the Syrian crisis that safeguards Syria’s territorial integrity and ends the suffering of the Syrian people.

The King also briefed Ban on the burdens that resource-limited Jordan is facing as a result of the unrelenting influx of Syrian refugees into the Kingdom.

His Majesty told the UN chief that Jordan is currently hosting more than 500,000 Syrian refugees. The King called on the UN and its affiliated agencies to increase their assistance to the Kingdom so that Jordan may give better humanitarian services to the refugees, as well as alleviate the growing pressures on the country’s resources and infrastructure.

Ban told His Majesty that he greatly values Jordan’s efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region and voiced the UN’s eagerness to maintain cooperation and coordination with the Kingdom over international issues.

The UN official vowed to liaise with the international community and push for intensifying the assistance given to Jordan so that the Kingdom may offer better humanitarian care to the Syrian refugees living in the country.

The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister and Expatriate Affairs Nasser Judeh and His Majesty’s Office Director Imad Fakhoury.