His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday received a delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Migration, Refugees, and Displaced Persons, for a meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace.

Discussions at the meeting, attended by Speaker of the House of Representatives Atef Tarawneh, covered Jordanian-European ties and the latest regional and international developments.

The two sides highlighted the importance of bolstering Jordan’s partnership and cooperation with the European Union in all areas, especially at the political and economic levels.

Discussions also covered the mounting burden on Jordan as a result of hosting Syrian refugees.

King Abdullah stressed the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards host countries, in order to enable them to continue to provide humanitarian and relief service for refugees.

Turning to the Middle East peace process, His Majesty called for stepping up efforts to relaunch Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, based on the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, international law, and relevant UN resolutions, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The two sides also discussed regional challenges and crises, as well as efforts to reach political solutions to end them.

Moreover, discussions covered efforts to fight terrorism within a holistic approach.

The King warned of the danger of Islamophobia and the marginalisation of Muslim communities in the West, which terrorists could exploit to fuel their agendas.

The delegates praised His Majesty’s efforts to bolster Jordan’s partnership with the European Union, commending his work in pursuit of just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

They also expressed appreciation for Jordan’s role in hosting Syrian refugees and catering to their educational, health, and relief needs, highlighting Jordan’s close cooperation with international relief agencies dedicated to refugees.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Adviser to His Majesty and Director of the Office of His Majesty Manar Dabbas, and a number of members of the House of Representatives attended the meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace.

Jordan is currently hosting a meeting organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s Committee on Migration, Refugees, and Displaced Persons to discuss the conditions of refugees in the Kingdom and the services provided to them, as well as means to provide support for JOrdan to mitigate the burden of the refugee crisis.