King Abdullah identifies regional challenges

Jordan's King Abdullah has urged the international community to play its part in tackling challenges which threaten peace, security and stability in the Middle East. Speaking at the Sun Valley Economic Forum in the US state of Idaho, the king identified the Israeli-Palestinian situation, and the escalating conflict in Syria as two of the biggest challenges threatening peace and stability in the region. He emphasised the importance of finding a "fair and permanent" solution to the Middle East crisis, which is based on an independent state of Palestine (pre-1967 borders) existing alongside Israel. King Abdullah said Jordan supports the efforts of US Secretary of State John Kerry to remove any obstacles hindering a return to the negotiating table. Commenting on the Syrian conflict, King Abdullah said that Jordan seeks a comprehensive transitional political solution to the, adding that the people of Syria had suffered for far too long. He claimed that Jordan is currently home to 500,000 Syrian refugees. On the domestic front, the king assured delegates that Jordan would continue with its comprehensive reform operations on all political, economic and social levels, and target Arab and foreign investments which would benefit its strategic position in the region. The Sun Valley Economic Forum, an annual event being held in the US since 1983, brings together global political thinkers to discuss ways of tacking modern day challenges.