Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - His Majesty King Abdullah II and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev held talks in Kazakh capital Astana on means to forge closer ties between the two countries in various fields as well as the latest developments in the Middle East.
At the start of the talks, His Majesty received from the Kazakh President Nazarbayev Prize for a Nuclear Weapon Free World and Global Security in recognition of His Majesty's continued efforts to achieve security and stability in the region and the world.
His Majesty said he is pleased to visit Kazakhstan and to be amongst brothers and friends, thanking the Kazakh president for the award and accepting it on behalf of all Jordanians.
Commenting on President Nazarbayev’s remarks that the two countries are marking almost 25 years of relations, the King said the relationship is a generational one, citing the special friendship between the Kazakh president and His Majesty the late King Hussein.
The King also praised Kazakhstan’s role in international affairs, in fields such as nuclear disarmament, interfaith dialogue, and conflict resolution.
If it were not for Kazakhstan’s leadership, His Majesty said the world would be in a much more difficult place.
The King also thanked Kazakhstan for standing by Jordan in difficult times.
The talks, which continued over a lunch banquet held by the Kazakh president in honor of His Majesty and the accompanying delegation, also focused on economic and military operation between the two countries as well as increasing the volume of trade in the agricultural, energy, transport, pharmaceutical industries and information technology fields.
The two sides highlighted the importance of exchanging visits among public and private sector officials to discuss prospects of investments in both countries.
They also stressed the importance of working together to clarify the true image of Islam and spread the values of tolerance and moderation.
The King and president Nazarbayev also attended the signing of 5 agreements between the two countries to boost cooperation and the exchange of expertise in the legal fields.
The agreements were signed by Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Ayman Safadi, Kazakh Foreign minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov and Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Zhakip Asanov.
In joint press statements following the meeting, His Majesty stressed the strong friendship and partnership between Jordan and Kazakhstan as well as his keenness to further boot them.
Following is the full text of the King's remarks: Mr President, Thank you so much for this very warm welcome that is always extended to myself and my delegation, and the heartfelt warmth that you always to our people. It is always a pleasure to visit this wonderful country.
The honour of being the first recipient of your International Prize, Sir, gives me a deep sense of gratitude and humility. It is an acknowledgement of the efforts of all Jordanians, who are working and sacrificing today for the future of a world that we share.
To me, this prize stands both for hope, and for responsibility.
Hope that humanity can avert the terrible destruction of nuclear war; and that we can achieve the lasting security of global peace and prosperity.
But also, responsibility to act decisively and boldly; and to come together, all of us, to the conditions for peace.
The name of this Prize makes it especially meaningful. And, my dear brother, you have brought global vision to today’s most pressing international concerns.
Today, Kazakhstan is a champion of global coexistence and cooperation. Your country is the first in Central Asia to hold a seat at the UN Security Council. In nuclear disarmament, Kazakhstan set a standard for all countries when it shut down its legacy nuclear arsenal in 1991 one of the first acts of your independent Republic. Today, this leadership continues in Kazakhstan’s recent establishment of a landmark IAEA fuel bank.
My dear brother, Mr President, It has been an honour to work with you and your country in multiple areas: for global nuclear disarmament, and security against terrorist threats, for bilateral economic partnership and growth, and for the interfaith dialogue, coexistence, and understanding.
The fact is that a shared future, a future of well-being for all people, requires multi-dimensional efforts. And mutual support is vital. No country can say that nuclear weapons, or global terrorism, or regional refugee crises, are another country’s problem. Global economic crises and environmental challenges do not stay contained behind other countries’ borders.
All of us are concerned; all of us have an interest in resolving the issues; and all of us have a right and a role in determining the direction our world will take us.
Nowhere is this more true and more urgent than in the Middle East’s central issue the Palestinian cause. All are concerned in resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on the two-state solution. And ending this conflict is imperative to regional and global peace, and key to combating extremists by putting a stop to their attempts to employ the failure to resolve it in the service of their dark agendas.
While the issues of terrorism and extremism are not exclusive to our region, Sir, the absence of inclusive political solutions will only benefit terrorist groups who remain a threat to global security.
In this context, a political solution in Syria is vital for regional security and stability. Jordan supports all efforts towards de-escalation in the Syrian conflict that provide a solid ground for successful Geneva Talks, including Kazakhstan’s much appreciated efforts in hosting the Astana Process.
Mr President, Jordan and Kazakhstan have enjoyed, as you have said, more than twenty-five years of warm friendship, and we are keen to continue to build on these close ties for many years to come. Our meetings here today have been yet another step to advance our cooperation and take our partnership to a new level.
And it is my hope we will go forward together, to expand the horizons of peace and prosperity for our people and for the world. To be with you today, here in your great land the heart of the continent, a noble link between East and West is to see a future of infinite good-will and achievement.
So, again, Sir, on behalf of myself, my delegation, the people of Jordan, thank you so much for what you and Kazakhstan do for the international community; what you do for the support of Jordan through our difficult challenges; and the hope that you and your country bring us in resolving many outstanding issues.
And I do hope, Sir, to see you again in our country to be able to extend just a small measure of the wonderful hospitality that you always extend to me and my people. And I am truly convinced that all the discussions we had today, as you had mentioned, will take the Jordanian-Kazakhstan relationship into a new level of cooperation, mutual friendship and trust.
The Kazakh president for his part welcomed His Majesty's visit to Astana that provided an opportunity to exchange views on various regional and international issues.
He highlighted the important role that Jordan plays in the Middle East and the Arab world.
The Kazakh president pointed to the strong ties between the two countries that have been developing in various domains over the past 25 years.
He also praised His Majesty's political wisdom, noting that it enabled Jordan to preserve its security and stability. President Nazarbayev said the talks dealt with a number of issues of common interest, noting that both sides exchanged views on a host of issues such as the Syrian crisis, the situation in Iraq as well as the crisis in Qatar.
The talks were attended by the Royal Court chief, the foreign minister, the King's advisor and National Policies Council rapporteur.
Upon arrival at the presidential Palace in Astana, King Abdullah was received by the Kazakh president and other top officials. The two leaders reviewed a guard of honor as a military band played the national anthem of both countries.
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