British Foreign Secretary meets King of Jordan

British Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed Jordan’s King Abdullah II in London. The pair met, alongside Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Tuesday ahead of the Friends of Syria in Morocco meeting, set to take place on Wednesday. King Abdullah II is on a two day visit to London to discuss the ongoing efforts to deport terror suspect Abu Qatada from Britain - the latter have conveyed their appreciation for the Jordanian government's assistance in the matter. The King will also be discussing regional developments in the Middle East, especially the Syrian crisis, means of motivating peace efforts based on the two-state solution following the Gaza conflict and the European role in reviving the peace process and enhancing security and stability in the region. Hague expressed his delight in meeting the Jordanian King adding: “Jordan and the UK are longstanding friends and allies and it was a pleasure to welcome King Abdullah to London today." With regards to the current Syria conflict, the British Foreign Secretary paid tribute to the "generosity of the Jordanian people in hosting the significant and growing number of Syrian refugees." Welcoming the formation of the Syrian National Coalition, which Britain is now part of, Hague emphasised the importance of efforts to provide a credible and inclusive alternative to the Assad regime. Hague also added: “King Abdullah described his efforts to institute reforms in Jordan that would bring about greater political participation, transparency and economic opportunity. I welcomed these and emphasised the importance of delivering an inclusive political process led by King Abdullah that provides substantive democratic reforms. The UK stands ready to support this work, in particular through the Arab Partnership. We discussed the difficult economic situation in Jordan and what the UK and EU can do to help Jordan carry through difficult but necessary economic reforms.” Discussing Israel and Palestine, William Hague said: “We agreed on the need for a new initiative to achieve peace between the two states, led by the US and supported by the wider international community. This is needed as a matter of urgency, before the window closes on the two state solution.”