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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Turkish Ambassador to Jordan Murat Karagoz said Jordan is leading a very successful policy under very difficult circumstances in the Middle East, and that the Kingdom is playing a vital and moderate role in the region.

The ambassador noted in a press conference marking the third anniversary of the failed coup attempt on July 15, that the coup failed thanks to the Turkish people.

"The coup attempt was one of the bloodiest attempts in Turkey's history, during which many buildings were shelled, more than 251 Turks were killed and 2,000 others were injured," he said.

The ambassador praised the stance of the Jordanian government and people on the coup attempt, solidarity with Turkey and the closure of the school funded by Fethullah Gulen.

The ambassador praised the level of Jordanian-Turkish relations, pointing out that there are mutual and continuous visits between the two countries' leadership. He noted that His Majesty King Abdullah II and President RecepTayyip Erdogan met five times during the past two years, pointing to visits by heads of parliament, senate and government officials that focused on boosting relations between Jordan and Turkey.

He pointed out that the number of Jordanian tourists to Turkey is constantly increasing, pointing to air flights between Amman and the Turkish cities.

Regarding trade relations, Karagoz said: "Although the trade agreement between the two countries has been suspended, relations are still ongoing, pointing out that there is a trade document that is ready to be signed between the two countries."

The document aims at finding a new mechanism for trade relations, and will be signed during the visit of the minister of industry and trade to Turkey soon.

He pointed out that a Jordanian trade delegation will visit Turkey in September, adding that the visit will also focus on promoting tourism in Jordan.

Karagoz said that the Jordanian-Turkish work committee will visit Jordan to discuss joint cooperation projects in various fields and meet with Prime Minister Dr. Omar al-Razzaz.

"The year 2020 will be the year of culture between Turkey and Jordan and there will be cultural days between the two countries that will help in promoting tourism in the Kingdom," the ambassador added.

With regard to the deal of the century, he said that Turkey supports the rights of the Palestinian people and believes in the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders. Turkey also supports the Hashemite custodianship over Al-Aqsa mosque and holy sites in Jerusalem," he added.

The ambassador criticized the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of the US embassy to it, as well as the US' decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan.

"These measure he said, will not contribute to achieving peace in the region and the Deal of the Century will not achieve the aspired peace," Karagoz added.

With regard to Turkey's purchase of Russian missiles, he said: "Turkey needs land and air missiles, and ten years ago it specified the sources from which it can obtain such missiles."

He said that his government held negotiations with NATO countries but did not reach any results, and with time and with the Syrian crisis, there was an increasing need for these missiles, and therefore, Turkey decided to buy them from Russia to meet its urgent needs.

He pointed out that his country needs other defense systems that may be purchased from the United States or other countries.