(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency) His Majesty King Abdullah II said Sunday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assurances to keep the status quo at Jerusalem's Haram al Sharif Mosque compound "is a welcome matter" that should be carried out on the ground.
"I followed up on the Israeli prime minister's remarks last night and his assurances to commit to the status quo arrangements, and not to change it. This commitment is a welcome matter, pending its implementation on the ground", the King said during a meeting with visiting Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.
He said Netanyahu's statement would help end the violence and ease tension, expressing hope it will lead to speedily launching efforts needed to address core issues through negotiations.
He said Jordan deals with the situation based on its religious and historic duty towards the whole of the Haram al Sharif compound and the sacred Islamic and Christian sites with all commitment and seriousness, stressing that a return to the status quo is "a paramount priority for us".
King Abdullah expressed his profound concern over the escalation and tension that prevailed at the Jerusalem holy places and the violence that ensued.
Welcoming Sobotka, the King stressed the exemplary relations between Jordan and the Czech Republic, noting that his visit is an important opportunity to advance the already solid ties between the two countries.
He said the Czech republic had a key role within the European Union, adding that "in light of the enormous challenges we are facing in the region, particularly what we see in Palestine and Israel, and certainly in Syria, we will have many subjects to discuss".
The Czech premier noted the level of ties with Jordan, saying that their relationship over the past fifty years were "extremely good, and I am happy to continue to develop them particularly after the Czech president's recent visit to Jordan".
He said Prague was doing what it could toward the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, adding that he saw the two-state solution as the real avenue toward peace between the two sides.
Sobotka said he had the conviction that implementation of the proposed solutions would reduce tension, expressing his deep sorrow for the loss of so many lives.
Today's meeting also dealt with cooperation between Jordan and the Czech Republic in the fields of defence industries, tourism and setting up joint ventures.
King Abdullah and the Czech premier also talked about regional and international efforts to fight extremism and terrorism and agreed on the need for a holistic approach to deal with "this danger".
His Majesty also reiterated that Jordan is assuming its moral and humanitarian obligation toward the Syrian refugees and is looking for more support by the international community and the World Bank within a sustained strategy to help the Kingdom to shoulder this burden.
Sobotka pointed to the influx of Syrian refugees into Europe and his country's role towards them despite its limited resources, and added, "I came to Jordan to see how to offer aid to it to carry the burden of the refugees".
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