Jordan king to discuss Mideast issues with Obama

King Abdullah II is heading to the U.S. on a visit during which he is expected to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on April 26 to discuss issues of bilateral interest, a statement by the royal office here said on Friday. Among major topics the two men will focus on will be the situation in Syria and its ramifications on the region, in particular the plight of Syrian refugees flooding into Jordan to get away from the fighting in their country, said the statement. The King will make the case that the influx of the refugees, currently about half a million, is stretching Jordan's budget too thin and will ask the U.S. for more funds to stem the tide of these refugees. King Abdullah's schedule during his visit will see him meet with top U.S. administration officials and leaders of congressional committees in addition to representatives from the Arab and Islamic communities in the United States. The Jordanian monarch will also sit in for a brief time on the meetings of the joint U.S.-Jordanian business council, taking place during his stay in the country. U.S. President Obama last month visited Jordan as part of his Middle East tour which included stops in Palestine and Israel.