His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with former media ministers, directors of official media, and current and former chief editors of daily newspapers and reviewed a host of local, regional and international developments.

King Abdullah discussed his recent visit to the US, noting that his talks focused mainly on the Palestinian issue, as well as the outcome of the Arab Summit, the Syrian crisis, the conditions in Iraq, and the fight against terrorism.

His Majesty said talks also stressed the importance of economic cooperation and US support for Jordan to face economic and financial challenges.

The King said he informed US President Donald Trump that economic conditions and the difficulties facing Jordanians are the most pressing issues for Jordan.

His Majesty expressed optimism over the new US administration's support and its stances on regional issues, in light of its desire to promote peaceful solutions to regional crises.

The King highlighted the need for unified Arab support for the Palestinians, noting that Jordan, as Summit president, has been working in coordination with the Egyptian and Palestinian presidents to reach a solution to the Palestinian issue.

The Arab Summit, His Majesty added, was a key opportunity to bring Arab views closer in order to address shared challenges.

Turning to the Syrian crisis, the King said there is no alternative other than a political solution, which cannot be reached without US-Russian cooperation.

His Majesty stressed that the developments in Syria will not be allowed to threaten Jordan, and that the Kingdom will defend itself without the need to have a role for the army inside Syria.

This is a principled stand that Jordan will maintain, the King noted, stressing that the target is terrorist groups, foremost of which is Daesh.

His Majesty said there is no cause for concern over the situation on the northern border, emphasising that the Kingdom is fully capable of dealing with any developments in accordance with its priorities and interests. 

Reaffirming that the war on terrorism and Daesh goes beyond Syria and Iraq, and requires a holistic approach worldwide, the King also stressed that none in the Islamic nation would benefit from a Sunni-Shiite confrontation.

The disputes, according to His Majesty, are only political ones caused by Iran’s regional policies and its interference, which must be dealt with.

Turning to domestic concerns, the King called for coordination between media outlets and state agencies to provide information transparently to the public, noting that there are numerous parties, mostly outside Jordan, that seek to spread fake news with the aim of creating confusion.

Stressing the centrality of the rule of law, His Majesty said the laws referred by the government to Parliament are aimed at entrenching the concept of the civil state.

The King urged all Jordanians to respect the law as they would when in Dubai, for example, noting that no one is above the law.

Discussions at the meeting also focused on the most significant local and regional issues and the role of media outlets in reporting them objectively by delivering accurate information to the public.

For their part, the attendees commended His Majesty’s efforts at international events to defend the Arab nation’s causes, at the forefront of which is the Palestinian issue.

They also stressed the importance of bolstering the national front to face the repercussions of regional challenges.

They highlighted public confidence in the Kingdom’s security situation due to the high level of trust they have in the Jordan Armed Forces and security agencies. 

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan and Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani also attended the meeting.