Yesterday in Amman, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss regional security cooperation and initiatives to strengthen the bilateral security relationship. Secretary Austin reaffirmed the United States' commitment to Jordan's security and thanked the King for his leadership. Secretary Austin also emphasized the U.S. commitment to the security and stability of the region.
Secretary Austin shared his concerns on a range of shared challenges, including the importance of reaching a just political solution in Syria, maintaining focus on security and stability in Iraq, and countering other destabilizing activities in the region. Secretary Austin also discussed his concern regarding the escalation in tensions in the West Bank and Jerusalem and emphasized the need for a restoration of calm. He expressed gratitude to the King for hosting the recent meeting in Aqaba, which reaffirmed the necessity of de-escalating tensions and working towards a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Secretary Austin reaffirmed the intent of the Biden Administration to deepen economic and military cooperation between the countries, underpinned by the seven-year, $10.15 billion U.S.-Jordan Memorandum of Understanding. Secretary Austin applauded the professionalism of the Jordanian Armed Forces and highlighted his appreciation of U.S.-Jordan military cooperation. He also expressed his gratitude for Jordan's contributions to regional security cooperation, in particular Jordan's efforts to facilitate integrated maritime, air, and missile defense cooperation with allies and partners.