Jordanian king discusses regional issues with Kerry

Jordanian King Abdullah II discussed efforts exerted to achieve peace in the Middle East and recent developments witnessed in Syria with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday in Amman. During the meeting, King Abdullah said that Jordan will resume its efforts to revive the peace process based on the two-state solution, praising US efforts in aiming to return both Palestinian and Israel to the negotiation table. He stressed the need to establish an independent Palestinian state, affirming that this is the only way to achieve peace and security in the Middle East. The Jordanian king warned against individual steps taken by the Israeli government and the consecutive attacks targeting  Islamic and Christian holy places in Jerusalem, stressing that such violations could undermine the efforts to achieve peace. The two officials also discussed recent developments in Syria, stressing the need to protect the unity of the country and called on the international community to help deal with the ongoing crisis.