Canberra, October 13 (QNA) - King Abdullah II of Jordan and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles discussed ways to strengthen bilateral defense and security cooperation to promote regional stability during a meeting in Canberra on Tuesday.

During the meeting, King Abdullah II emphasized the importance of stepping up international efforts to de-escalate tensions through dialogue and diplomacy, stressing the need to respect the sovereignty of Arab states and ensure their security.

In a related development, King Abdullah visited the Headquarters Joint Operations Command of the Australian Department of Defense, where he met with the Commander of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones. Their discussions focused on strengthening defense cooperation between Jordan and Australia. (QNA)