His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday met with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who arrived here on a solidarity visit in the aftermath of the suicide bombings.

Annan, on a regional tour of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, strongly condemned the attacks and supported Jordan's efforts to fight terrorism.

King Abdullah thanked Annan and stressed that collective efforts by the world community were needed to combat terrorism and extremism.

King Abdullah and Annan, meanwhile, discussed the latest developments in the Middle East, particularly Security Council Resolution 1636, which demands Syria fully cooperate with the UN team probing the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

“Syria should fully cooperate with the probe. It's the only solution,” Annan said.

The King and Annan saw eye-to-eye on the need to encourage the Palestinians and Israelis to revive the peace process, paving the way for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

On Iraq, the King and UN secretary general said all political parties should participate in the country's general elections to secure a better future.

The Jordan Times