His Majesty King Abdullah held talks on Tuesday with Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg on Middle East peace and economic cooperation between the two countries, mainly in the field of renewable energy.

King Abdullah's talks with the Norwegian premier and separate discussions with Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store focused on the Norwegian and European roles in achieving Middle East peace and efforts to remove obstacles to the two-state solution.

During the two meetings, the King warned that the continuation of the status quo was increasing tension in the region and could lead to a new cycle of violence threatening regional and international security.

King Abdullah emphasised that defusing tension requires effective and swift international action to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and fulfil their right to an independent state on their national soil, within a comprehensive regional peace.

He also stressed the responsibility of the international community in lifting the illegal blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza, saying that it is no longer possible to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the more than 1.5 million Palestinians that live there.

Moreover, the King underscored the importance an international independent investigation into the Israeli raid on the Freedom Flotilla at the end of last month which was denounced by Jordan as a crime and a breach of international law.

The King stressed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the root cause of violence in the Middle East, emphasising that regional peace and stability will not be achieved until the Palestinian people are ensured justice.

The King also expressed appreciation for Norway as the country chairs the international donor committee supporting the Palestinian people and institutions.

The King's visit to Oslo came as part of his efforts to mobilise effective international action to overcome the obstacles to regional peace-making.

King Abdullah also discussed with Norwegian officials mechanisms to increase economic cooperation and attract Norwegian investments to mega-projects in the Kingdom in the fields of energy, water and transport.

During a meeting with Norway's Minister of Environment and International Development Erik Solheim and with chief executive officers of Norwegian energy companies, the King highlighted cooperation prospects in the energy sector, especially in the area of renewable energy. He said Jordan can also benefit from Norway's expertise in upgrading Jordanians' skills in this field.

The companies' CEOs briefed the King on their business capabilities in the fields of renewable energy, water desalination, electric grid technologies and the utilisation of solar, wind and water energy.