Jordan Times
Thursday, April 8, 1999
AMMAN (J.T.) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday said Jordan will remain in contact and seek to further bolster the Kingdom's relations with Arab Gulf states.
King Abdullah, speaking to Jordan Television following his return from Saudi Arabia after a three-day official visit, said his talks with King Fahd and senior Saudi officials focused on further bolstering bilateral ties and increasing cooperation in various fields.
“I also wanted to thank them for their steadfast support for Jordan. We had very fruitful discussion on future cooperation, and I hope to see the strengthening of relations in the future,” the King said.
“I expressed the appreciation and gratitude of Jordan's leadership, government and people for Saudi Arabia's support at the time of the passing away of the late King Hussein,” added King Abdullah.
Asked to comment on news reports that Jordan sought to join the Gulf Cooperation Council, the King said: “I don't know where that came from. I think we just need to leave that to idle gossip at this stage.”
In addition to King Fahd, King Abdullah held talks with Crown Prince Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz on bilateral relations and means of restoring Arab solidarity.
King Abdullah, who together with an accompanying delegation, performed the lesser pilgrimage (Umra) at Mecca and met with a number of Saudi princes and senior officials.
Upon his departure from Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah sent a cable to King Fahd voicing his deep appreciation for Saudi Arabia's support for Jordan and the hospitality accorded to the Jordanian delegation.
In the cable, King Abdullah said the visit offered him the opportunity to consult with the Saudi leadership over issues of common concern.
King Abdullah sent another cable to Crown Prince Abdullah voicing his appreciation for Saudi Arabia's constant support for Jordan. He also extended an invitation to Prince Abdullah to visit Jordan.