DHAKA: Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced visit to neighbouring Jordan on Thursday for talks with King Abdullah II on the Middle East peace process.

Kingdom’s palace officials said, reports The Straits Times.

The rare meeting in Amman comes as US state secretary John Kerry presses Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a framework to guide peace talks forward.

‘King Abdullah and Netanyahu discussed peace process developments in light of the current US-sponsored Israeli-Palestinians peace negotiations,’ a palace statement said.

An official said the talks took place on Thursday but would not elaborate.

The palace statement said the meeting ‘seeks to make sure a progress in the peace talks would meet Palestinian aspirations and at the same time protect Jordanian interests, particularly final status issues at this critical stage’.

In Jerusalem, a spokesman for Netanyahu refused to comment on the matter.

BDST: 1758 HRS, JAN 16, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor