His Majesty King Abdullah II on Friday held talks here with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on regional developments and efforts exerted to achieve peace according to the two-state solution.

During the meeting in Washington, King Abdullah called for immediate and effective steps to end the suffering of Palestinians, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

He also highlighted the need to remove obstacles hindering efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to achieve the establishment of an independent Palestinian state living alongside Israel in peace and security.

King Abdullah underlined the importance of the US role in peace efforts, lauding President Barack Obama's commitment to end the regional conflict on the basis of a two-state solution and in accordance with a comprehensive regional context.

The King also emphasised the need to end the siege on Gaza and alleviate the suffering of Gazans.

He said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the core source of regional conflict and that achieving a two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is the only way to bring security and stability to the Middle East.

Discussions also covered bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern.

King Abdullah's meeting with Clinton came as part of intensive diplomatic efforts to encourage international action to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and to pressure Israel to change its policies that impede the peace process.

The King arrived in Washington on Wednesday following a visit to London where he held talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron on peace efforts and the situation in Gaza.

The King's tour includes Norway and Sweden. Talks will also focus on the Mideast peace process and alleviating the suffering of Palestinians.