AMMAN (JT) – His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday underlined America’s pivotal role in the peace process and the region, stressing that despite the current regional developments, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will remain the region’s core issue.

Speaking to the press in Washington, DC, ahead of his meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the King voiced appreciation of the distinguished Jordanian-US relations, stressing that his meeting with Clinton will cover, in addition to means to enhance bilateral cooperation, other issues concerning challenges facing the Middle East.

The Monarch, who will meet US President Barack Obama in Washington today, said his meetings with Obama and other US officials will focus on means to bring the Palestinians and Israelis back to the negotiating table, according to a Royal Court statement.

For her part, Clinton described the King as “an influential and stable voice in a turbulent region and changing world”, adding that Jordan is an important and strategic partner of the US, the statement said.

During the meeting, the King stressed that the international community should exert more efforts to relaunch direct talks between the Palestinians and Israelis that will lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state living in peace and harmony alongside Israel, underlying the US role in this regard.