Syria’s Assad calls Jordan’s king amid thaw in relations

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordan’s King Abdullah II has received a call from Syrian President Bashar Assad. Sunday’s call is the first between the two leaders after a decade of strain over Syria’s civil war. The Jordanian royal court said the leaders discussed relations between the “brotherly countries” and ways to enhance cooperation between them. Jordan’s Abdullah affirmed his country’s support for “efforts to preserve Syria’s sovereignty, stability, territorial integrity and people.” Syria’s state news agency SANA said Assad called Abdullah to discuss bilateral relations and “reinforcing cooperation in the interests of the two countries and people.”