Jordan king first head of state in post-coup Egypt

CAIRO - Agence France-Presse

A handout picture released by the Egyptian Presidency shows Egypt's interim president Adly Mansour (3L) meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah II (2L)on July 21. Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei is also present at the meeting (2R). AFP PHOTO /EGYPTIAN PRESIDENCY

Jordan's King Abdullah II visited Cairo July 20 to meet interim President Adly Mansour in the first visit by a head of state since Egypt's July 3 coup

The monarch had been among the first leaders to congratulate Egyptians after the army overthrew elected President Mohamed Morsi following mass protests calling for him to resign.

Abdullah and Mansour "agreed on strengthening bilateral ties" during the brief visit, the presidency said in a statement.

The king also "pledged his support for Egyptian national choices, and his support for Egypt so it can surpass its present circumstances and fortify stability and security," the statement added.

Abdullah, who faces challenges at home from the Muslim Brotherhood, was met at the airport by military-backed interim prime minister Hazem al-Beblawi, the official MENA news agency reported.

The king left several hours later, an airport official said.

Both Jordan and Egypt have been key mediators between Israel and the Palestinians, whom the United States says have agreed to lay the groundwork to resume peace negotiations.

Abdullah was likely to have discussed the renewed Middle East peace talks process with Egypt.

But his visit may also have been aimed at conferring legitimacy on the new military-installed administration, which is fighting a public relations war abroad to burnish its credentials as a legitimate government.