• Jordan's King Abdullah walks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. EPA
    Jordan's King Abdullah walks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. EPA
  • Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a joint news conference with King Abdullah. EPA
    Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a joint news conference with King Abdullah. EPA
  • King Abdullah speaks during the news conference at the Nato Alliance's headquarters in Brussels. AFP
    King Abdullah speaks during the news conference at the Nato Alliance's headquarters in Brussels. AFP
  • King Abdullah is welcomed by European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels. EPA
    King Abdullah is welcomed by European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels. EPA
  • King Abdullah speaks with Charles Michel in Brussels. EPA
    King Abdullah speaks with Charles Michel in Brussels. EPA
  • King Abdullah with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen prior to a meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels. AP Photo
    King Abdullah with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen prior to a meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels. AP Photo

King Abdullah of Jordan in Brussels on mission to forge deeper ties with Nato


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King Abdullah II of Jordan met Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on Wednesday as the country seeks to deepen ties with the military alliance.

The king was expected to meet European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later as part of the one-day visit to Belgium.

According to the king’s official website, the aim of the visit was to “cover bilateral ties and means to bolster them”.

The visit came after Jordan celebrated the centenary of its founding early last month.

Mr Stoltenberg said after the meeting he wanted the 30-country military alliance to forge deeper ties with Jordan.

“Honoured to welcome King Abdullah II back to Nato, and congratulate him on the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s first centenary,” he said.

“Jordan is an anchor of stability, and one of Nato’s closest partners. Today we discussed how to deepen our partnership even further.”

Last month, King Abdullah’s half-brother and former crown prince, Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, was accused of an alleged plot to “destabilise the kingdom’s security”.

The prince was placed under house arrest and later pledged his loyalty to the king.

King Abdullah said the ordeal was a painful chapter in the nation’s history.

"The challenge of the last few days was not the hardest or the most dangerous to the stability of our nation, but it was the most painful because those who are party to the sedition were from our own home," he said at the time.

"Nothing can come close to the shock and the pain and anger I felt, as a brother, and head of the Hashemite family, and as a leader to this dear people."