His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday received French senator and rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Josette Durrieu, to discuss Jordan’s partnerships with France and the EU, as well as the latest regional developments.

During the meeting, held at Al Husseiniya Palace, discussions also covered the Kingdom's comprehensive reform process, with focus on political and economic reforms, and efforts to develop the judicial system.

The meeting addressed the municipal and governorate council elections, slated for mid-August with the aim of boosting citizens' participation in the decision-making process and giving them a say in setting development and service priorities for their areas.

The two sides discussed efforts to move the peace process forward by relaunching serious and effective Palestinian-Israeli negotiations based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and international terms of reference.

They also went over efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that guarantees its unity and territorial integrity, as well as regional and international endeavours to combat terrorism within a holistic strategy.

Moreover, the meeting focused on the repercussions of the Syrian refugee crisis on Jordan and the importance of having the international community shoulder its responsibilities towards refugee-hosting countries, including Jordan, to enable them to continue providing relief and humanitarian services.

For her part, Durrieu commended Jordan's reforms and its push towards comprehensive development, voicing France’s and the EU's appreciation of the Kingdom's pivotal role, led by King Abdullah, in dealing with regional crises and seeking peace and stability.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Atef Tarawneh, Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, the House representative at the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Deputy Khaled Bakkar, and French Ambassador to Jordan David Bertolotti also attended the meeting.