His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday said continued international support was crucial to helping Palestinians and Israelis go forward with the peace process. The King was speaking during a meeting with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gianfranco Fini, whose country, he said, plays an important role in encouraging the two parties to resume peace talks. The King said the opening of the Rafah border crossing was a positive step that must be built upon in order to strengthen the Palestinian economy and improve the standard of living of the Palestinians. During the meeting, which was also attended by Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib, Fini expressed Italy's appreciation for King Abdullah's efforts to restore peace and stability in the Middle East, and said Italy was ready to lend its support to the peace process. King Abdullah also expressed Jordan's appreciation for Italy's support to the Kingdom's development, and outlined Jordan's efforts to enhance dialogue and co-existence among followers of different religions and cultures. The King and Fini discussed the development of bilateral ties, especially through the encouragement of private sector cooperation between the two countries. Their talks also addressed the situation in Iraq, with both the King and Fini reiterating the importance of restoring security and stability to Iraq as soon as possible.