Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said, on Monday, Jordan is the third largest host country of refugees and stressed that the Kingdom can not handle this massive burden without international support.

He said the large numbers of refugees placed heavy pressures on the Kingdom's public sector and infrastructure

The premier remarks came as he chaired a meeting for a national response plan to the refugees crisis. The meeting was by a number of ambassadors representing Arab and foreign countries as well as UN agencies representatives.

The meeting tackled the latest developments of the 2015 Jordan Response Plan (JRP) to Syrian crisis and means of securing additional assistance to priority projects included in the plan.

Ensour said: '' We count on the international community to support the JRP, as the levels of funding last year fell short of meeting the needs. If this trend continues the consequences will be tremendous, not only for refugees but also for Jordanians, jeopardizing all that we have worked hard to achieve so far as a nation''.

Ensour quoted remarks by His Majesty King Abdullah II in a recent speech at the European Parliament in which he said: "Radicalization thrives on economic insecurity and exclusion. To stakeholders in a peaceful world, people need opportunities to fulfill their potential and build good lives."

Planning and International Cooperation minister, Imad Fakhoury stressed the importance of preserving achievements carried out by Jordan, noting the participation of the prime minister and a number of ministers in this meeting clearly emphasizes need to ease impacts on the Kingdom caused by the Syrian crisis.

Fakhoury said: '' Jordan appreciates all the support it received. But Jordan should not be penalized for being a safe haven and an oasis of stability, nor for development gains it has proudly achieved''.

Fakhoury added: '' I firmly believe that it is our joint responsibility to work together to ensure that the Jordan Response Plan is a flexible and adaptable plan, which is capable of responding in a timely and efficient manner to the needs of refugees, host communities and national institutions''.

*Petra