His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday returned after a brief visit to Saudi Arabia where he met with King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz for talks on bilateral ties and regional developments.

King Abdullah congratulated the Saudi monarch on his recent ascension to the throne.

The King said he was certain that under the leadership of the new King, Saudi Arabia would remain “supportive as ever of the just Arab and Islamic causes.”

The two leaders said they were keen on better and deeper bilateral ties in all fields.

On developments in the Middle East, they described the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as a “positive and important step,” that should be followed by further West Bank pullouts in line with the roadmap.

The peace blueprint, both leaders said, must lead to the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state on the Palestinian national soil.

On Iraq, King Abdullah and the Saudi monarch stressed the need to preserve the unity of the neighboring country and its people. They voiced support for any efforts to restore security and stability in Iraq.

All Iraqis should be partners in the political process in their country, the two leaders said, voicing determination to fight terrorism and defend the name of Islam against attempts by terrorists and extremists to distort its image and noble values.

The Jordan Times