**Updated with Video** Secretary Clinton's Remarks With Jordanian King Abdullah

Remarks With Jordanian King Abdullah Before Their Meeting

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Ben Franklin Room

Washington, DC

May 16, 2011

---

SECRETARY CLINTON: It is such a personal pleasure, but also a very important occasion for me to welcome His Majesty here to the State Department. He is a strong and steady voice in the incredible changes that are going on around the world. He’s a great friend and partner to the United States. We count Jordan as a nation that we share many common interests with and we have pursued many common objectives. It’s also for me a great delight because of my personal regard for His Majesty and his leadership.

KING ABDULLAH: Thank you, Madam Secretary. I’m delighted to be back here in Washington. Again, we value the relationship with this country and with you specifically. We’re here in Washington to not only talk about our bilateral relations and the challenges that we face in the Middle East, but also this Arab Spring. That is a challenge for all of us to hopefully get it right and the role of the United States is going to be crucial how the Middle East moves in what direction, but also our discussions with you, Madam, and with the President, as we’re looking at ways of bringing Israelis and Palestinians to the peace table, because with all that’s going on in the Middle East, the core issue of the Middle East still is that, an Israeli – a Palestinian-Israeli (inaudible).

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.