His Majesty King Abdullah returned home on Thursday following a working visit to Britain and the US.

During his visit to Washington, DC the King held talks with US President Barack Obama on the latest developments in the region as well as means to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields to best serve the interests of both countries.

King Abdullah expressed his appreciation for the ongoing support of the US government and president in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the central issue in the Middle East.

The meeting also covered means to foster bilateral ties in various spheres as well as the Kingdom’s efforts to achieve political and economic reform to meet the aspirations of the Jordanian people.

“We welcome the initiatives that His Majesty has already embarked on, and feel confident that, to the extent that he’s able to move these reforms forward, this will be good for the security and stability of Jordan, but also will be good for the economic prosperity of the people of Jordan. And so we’re very pleased to support him on that front,” Obama said.

In addition, the meeting delved into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and highlighted the need to get the parties back to the negotiating table, particularly in view of the changes sweeping the region.

During his visit to the US, the King also met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and discussed Middle East developments and efforts to achieve peace based on the two-state solution leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

In a meeting with US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates, the two sides discussed means to enhance cooperation between the two countries, particularly in military fields.

The King also met with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and discussed the EU’s role in supporting peace efforts in the region on the basis of the two-state solution.

In addition, King Abdullah held a series of meetings with US Senate committees to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East, the peace process and means to improve Jordanian-US ties at all levels.

His Majesty met with Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator John Kerry and its members, Chairman of the Appropriations Committee Daniel Inouye and its members, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and representatives of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

In these meetings, the King briefed the Senate members on Jordan’s political, economic and social reform efforts that meet the aspirations of citizens in enhancing political and democratic life.

Also in Washington, the King met with representatives of US Islamic, Arab and Jewish organisations, underscoring the important role of US-based Arab and Muslim organisations in supporting the US administration’s efforts in pushing the Middle East peace process forward.

During a meeting with several US media figures and intellectual and political leaders at the Brookings Institution, the King stressed the importance of intensifying efforts by the international community to resume direct peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis on the basis of the two-state solution.

The King also met with World Bank President Robert Zoellick in Washington, and discussed prospects for further cooperation between Jordan and the international body.

Before his visit to the US, the King held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London on developments in the region as well as the British and the European roles in supporting the Middle East peace process.

In a statement to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Jordan’s Ambassador in Washington Alia Bouran said the King’s visit to the US yielded fruitful results that reflect the appreciation of the US government and president for the Kingdom’s reform endeavours as well as efforts to push the peace process forward.

She described King Abdullah’s meetings with senior US officials, particularly Clinton and US Senate committees, as very important, as they have a significant impact on the decision-making process in the US and on American public opinion.