His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan met with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles in Canberra on Tuesday.
The meeting explored ways of strengthening cooperation between Jordan and Australia in the fields of defence and security, in order to achieve stability in the region, according to a Royal Court statement.
Speaking about regional developments, His Majesty emphasised the importance of stepping up international efforts to de-escalate the situation through dialogue and diplomacy, underscoring the need to respect the sovereignty of Arab states and ensure their security.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Major General Majdi Al Harasis, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, Jordan’s Ambassador to Australia Janti Kalajoqa, and Australia’s Ambassador to Jordan Paula Ganly attended the meeting.
The King also visited the Headquarters Joint Operations Command of the Australian Department of Defence and met with the Commander of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones, where they discussed ways of strengthening defence cooperation between Jordan and Australia.
Furthermore, His Majesty held a meeting on Tuesday with Australia’s President of the Senate Sue Lines, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick.
During the meeting, held in Canberra, His Majesty praised Australia’s position on a number of regional and international issues, and emphasised Jordan’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Australia, particularly in the political and parliamentary spheres.
The meeting also addressed the importance of stepping up international efforts to restore calm in the region, with the King underscoring the need to put an end to Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem, in addition to supporting Syria and Lebanon’s efforts to maintain their security and sovereignty.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Alaa Batayneh, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Australia Janti Kalajoqa attended the meeting. (Sources & Photo © Royal Jordanian Court/Petra)
