King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan delivered his first address to an American university on Friday, speaking to a packed ARCO Forum about Jordan's role in restoring peace, prosperity and security to the Middle East.
"Jordan is trying to be a symbol of what we think is the future of the Middle East," he said.
Abdullah, 37, ascended to the Jordanian throne in February, following the death of his father King Hussein. The popular Hussein was known for his active role in promoting the peace process, an ideal Abdullah vowed to uphold.
"Peace in the Middle East is not an option, it is a must," he said. "War is not an option."
Jordan has played a crucial role in the peace process, often serving as a bridge between Israel and the Arab powers in the region.
Abdullah said he views Jordan's relationship with Israel as an example for the other powers.
"Jordan has been a model of success in showing that peace can be achieved and successfully sustained," he said.
According to Abdullah, Jordan's current task is to facilitate negotiations between Israel and Syria. But he hoped Jordan would hold the role of go-between only temporarily.
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