Pope Francis, Jordan's Abdullah Stress: Negotiations Only Option for Syria

The Vatican on Thursday said talks in Syria were "the only option" out of the conflict, following a meeting between Pope Francis and Jordan's King Abdullah II.

The two "reaffirmed that the path of dialogue and negotiation between all components of Syrian society, with the support of the international community, is the only option to put an end to the conflict," the Vatican said in a statement.

The statement also said the pope and the king had discussed the resumption of negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis, the status of Jerusalem and wider prospects for stability in the Middle East.

The Vatican thanked Abdullah II for his commitment to inter-religious dialogue and said he had convened a conference in Amman next month on current challenges facing Christian minorities in the Middle East.

The Vatican and all the main Christian leaders in the region have called for dialogue in Syria, rejecting possible armed intervention by outside powers.