His Majesty King Abdullah and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon on Sunday held talks at Al Husseiniya Palace on means to advance cooperation in various areas, and discussed regional and international developments.

Talks covered the latest developments related to Jerusalem, after the United States decision to recognise the city as Israel’s capital and move the US embassy there.

The two sides called for intensifying Arab, Islamic, and international efforts to safeguard Palestinian rights in Jerusalem, which is key to achieving regional peace and stability.

At expanded talks attended by Prime Minister Hani Mulki and a number of senior officials on both sides, President Rahmon said his country supports Jordan’s efforts—led by King Abdullah and based on the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites—to safeguard the holy city and preserve its historical identity.

Talks also covered regional and international efforts to fight terrorism within a holistic strategy.

At the start of the expanded meeting, which was preceded by bilateral talks, His Majesty welcomed President Rahmon in the first visit by a Tajik leader to Jordan, stressing the importance of building on Jordanian-Tajik ties.

The visit, the King added, will contribute to advancing ties, highlighting opportunities for cooperation in political, military, and security fields, as well as trade and industry.

Talks at the bilateral meeting held earlier, His Majesty said, touched on the challenges inside of Islam, and the challenges faced in Jerusalem.

These challenges are opportunities for the people of Jordan and Tajikistan to come together, the King noted.

For his part, President Rahmon expressed Tajikistan’s keenness to expand cooperation with Jordan, thanking His Majesty for inviting him to the Kingdom.

He praised Jordan as a powerful state in the Islamic world and internationally, commending the Kingdom’s achievements over the past decade.

Highlighting opportunities for cooperation, President Rahmon cited the economic, commercial, agricultural, pharmaceutical, educational, science-related, healthcare, sports, and tourism fields as promising areas.

Tajikistan also seeks to establish fruitful cooperation with Jordan on security matters, he said.

At the conclusion of the expanded talks, the King and President Rahmon witnessed the signing of two cooperation agreements on the reciprocal promotion and protection of investments, and on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion, as well as a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in higher education and scientific research.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, General Intelligence Department Director Maj. Gen. Adnan Jundi, and the ministers of higher education, culture, finance, agriculture, state for legal affairs, industry, youth, and state for investment affairs attended the meeting on the Jordanian side.

A high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials attended the talks on the Tajiki side.

President Rahmon had been accorded an official welcoming ceremony upon his arrival at Al Husseiniya Palace.

At the conclusion of Sunday’s talks, the two sides released a joint communiqué, affirming their keenness to advance bilateral cooperation in various areas, and expressing a shared commitment to countering challenges facing the Muslim world.

The US decision on Jerusalem, the communiqué said, is in violation of international laws and terms of reference, and it provokes Muslims and Christians alike.

The two countries called for reaching a just and lasting peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on the two-state solution, international terms of reference, and the Arab Peace Initiative, according to the communiqué.

His Majesty also accepted an invitation by President Rahmon to visit Tajikistan at a time convenient for both sides, the communiqué said.