His Majesty King Abdullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan became the first Arab leader to visit President Obama last week, and gave a major address on “The Middle East: End the Process, Make the Peace” at a Statesmen’s Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington on April 24. The King said that “Arabs and Muslims throughout the world took note of the President’s inaugural pledge, for a new partnership based on mutual respect and mutual interest. His out-reach since then has been well received in the Arab world.” He added that, “A high-level US effort is needed to regenerate bilateral negotiations…. Beginning to end, the focus must be a final peace agreement; one that reflects the only viable solution to this conflict … the two-state solution, which will open the door to comprehensive Middle East peace.”

Read the full text of King Abdullah II’s remarks