Ammon News -
The Jordan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, Wednesday, held a meeting in Moscow for a discussion on the Jordan-Russia ties and the developments in the Mideast.
The meeting discussed bolstering bilateral ties on different levels and the preparations undertaken to hold the 6th session of the Joint Jordanian-Russian Committee that is scheduled in the first half of 2021 to agree on steps aimed at boosting economic, tourism and cultural cooperation.
The top diplomats underscored solidarity on combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed the possibility of Russian supply of the Russian COVID vaccine to the Kingdom, and they emphasized the two countries' keenness to increase cooperation.
On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, they stressed the importance of reinvigorating serious negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis based on the two-state solution and according to the international law. They also highlighted the importance of intra-Palestinian reconciliation, praising Egypt for its role to that end.
Also discussed was the Syrian crisis, as both Safadi and Lavrov discussed the efforts exerted to find a political breakthrough to the years-long crisis, highlighting the continued cooperation and coordination between them to move forward on these efforts.
In a joint press conference to answer the questions of journalists, Safadi said that the meeting comes as part of continued cooperation and coordination between the two countries on all levels.
Also discussed during the meeting, Safadi noted, is the COVID-19 pandemic and the cooperation between the two countries to fight it and the possibility of supplying Jordan with the Russian COVID-19 vaccine "Sputnik."
He added that the talks highlighted the regional challenges and joint work to address them and achieve regional security and stability.
"We see eye to eye on the necessity of intensifying the efforts exerted to reach a fair and comprehensive settlement to the Palestinian cause based on the international law, the approved references and the Arab Peace Initiative," he said. He praised Russia for its commitment to the two-state solution.
He also emphasized that there is no daylight between Jordan and Russia on the necessity of exerting more efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis.
"This crisis has dragged on for too long and has wreaked havoc and killed many and that must be stopped. There must be an active Arab presence in the efforts to settle the Syrian crisis," he added.
He highlighted that the meeting discussed a new "realistic" approach to settle the Syrian crisis that preserves the territorial integrity of Syria and restores its security and stability and its role in the region..."
"What we want is to achieve security and stability in our region, and therefore we talked about all the crises that this region is going through, and we also agree that we will continue to work together to end these crises and achieve security and stability," Safadi stressed. He added, "Once again, I stress that we in the Kingdom see the Russian role as a major one, and we look forward to continuing cooperation and working together with our partners and friends in the international community and in the Arab region in order to achieve this common goal."
Responding to a question, Safadi pointed out that "the International Quartet is an internationally agreed upon mechanism to activate peace efforts, and therefore we support every real effort to resume serious negotiations." The International Quartet is able to play this role, and we absolutely support holding the committee Quartet to restore momentum to the peace process, Safadi added.
The foreign minister said, "The continued stalemate in the efforts aimed at resolving the main cause, which is the Palestinian cause, threatens the entire peace process, and thus, once again, we must all work together to restore a political horizon based on the two-state solution, international legitimacy decisions and approved references."
He added, "The new US administration has announced its intention to take a number of actions that we believe in the Kingdom are important and necessary ones, which we highly value, regarding the reopening of the US consulate in East Jerusalem, and regarding the consideration of reopening the Palestine Liberation Organization office in Washington, and with regard to the resumption of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)."
He stressed that "all these are positive signs and indicators, and we look forward to working quickly with the new US administration to re-launch serious and effective negotiations."
Safadi said, "The United States has a leading role in the peace process, and we hope that the process of restoring momentum to negotiations will begin quickly, and we will work with the new administration to restore a political horizon to move forward in efforts to achieve peace."
Responding to a question on the recent peace agreements signed with Israel, Safadi indicated that "the impact of all peace agreements signed with Israel will depend on Israel's way of dealing with them; if Israel sees them as an incentive to solve the main cause, ending the occupation and achieving peace based on the two-state solution, then, their role will be positive, if they don't do so and Israel continues with its actions that undermine this solution. The conflict will escalate and the danger will increase, and the region will continue to deal with this conflict that threatens all chances of achieving a permanent and just peace."
Regarding the Palestinian reconciliation, Safadi said that the Kingdom supports it and supports "every effort aimed at achieving this reconciliation because in the end it will positively reflect on the ability of the brotherly Palestinian people to achieve its legitimate goals of freedom, independence and a sovereign state."
He added, "I add my voice to that of His Excellency the Minister in valuing the great efforts made by Egypt to achieve this reconciliation. We also value the great contributions of Russia in this context, and in the Kingdom as we have always been ready to provide all the support that the brothers need in order to achieve this reconciliation and for the sake of realizing all their legitimate rights."
In response to a question, Safadi said, "Our relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are strong fraternal, strategic and deep-rooted relations that demonstrate bilateral cooperation, coordination and consultation on all regional issues." He added, "The two kingdoms absolutely agree that the two-state solution is the way to achieve this just and comprehensive peace. They absolutely agree on the terms of reference for peace represented by international law and the Arab peace initiative that was launched primarily from the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."
Safadi said, "We are working together and in coordination with our friends and brothers in order to achieve this peace, and the positions of Saudi Arabia regarding the granting of legitimate rights to the Palestinian people are well-known, as are the positions of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Consequently, all approaches to conflict resolution efforts are coordinated approaches based on approved references, foremost among which is, an addition to international law, is the Arab Peace Initiative," he said.
Answering a question on the Hashemite custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, Safadi said, "This custodianship is a trust and responsibility that the Custodian of these sanctities performs, His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al-Hussein, with all the Kingdom's capabilities." Safadi added that preserving the Arab, Islamic and Christian identity of holy sites in Jerusalem and preserving the existing historical and legal status is a priority for Jordan.
Safadi said that the importance of the historical role of the Hashemite custodianship over the holy sites is a role affirmed by all Arab countries, the resolutions of the Arab League, the decisions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the United Nations resolutions.
He added, "Everyone is aware of the role of this custodianship, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan continues with direct guidance and follow-up from His Majesty King Abdullah II, the custodian of these holy sites, to do everything it can to protect the holy sites and their identity and thus protect peace, because any provocation or any attack on these sites constitute a provocation to the feelings of hundreds of millions of Muslims and Christians around the world."
In response to a question, Safadi said that Jordan in 2018 responded to a request from a number of friendly countries to allow the passage of several hundred Syrians who were working within the framework of the so-called White Helmets according to a written agreement in preparation for their resettlement in these countries out of a humanitarian responsibility and a humanitarian duty that Jordan never hesitated to provide.
He added, "Jordan agreed to allow the passage of a few hundred of these people through Jordanian territory to places of their resettlement, and most of them were resettled. Only less than 50 people remain in Jordan in transit and not as refugees, and we are in constant contact with friendly countries that have asked us to allow their passage in order to complete the process of resettling them in these countries." He disregarded as "untrue" the information that mentioned that someone returned to Jordan after his departure from there.
Safadi pointed out that "our humanitarian stances in the Kingdom are clear and that everyone knows them. Jordan hosts 1.3 million Syrian brothers and provides them with all possible support until conditions for voluntary return to their country are available." Safadi stressed the need for the international community to also shoulder its responsibility towards the refugees, because the burden of the refugees crisis is a shared responsibility and not the responsibility of the host countries alone.
He added that with regard to the political position on the Syrian crisis, it is "ending the Syrian crisis, stopping this disaster and restoring security and stability to all Syrian citizens in a stable security country that does not have terrorism and interference in its affairs until Syria returns to a normal state of stability and security and provides decent living for its people and regain its role in the region as well."
For his part, the Russian Foreign Minister said, "The meeting with Minister Ayman Safadi today aims to build on the outcomes of the last meeting that brought together President Vladimir Putin and His Majesty King Abdullah II."
Lavrov emphasized that there are "promising prospects for bilateral cooperation in more than one field with Jordan, including in the fields of nuclear energy and in the humanitarian, educational and military and technical cooperation."
"We agree with Jordan that there is no alternative to the two-state solution in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," Lavrov said. "We naturally welcomed the reconciliation process between Israel and some Arab countries, but this move should not replace the establishment of the Palestinian state," he added.
Regarding the Syrian crisis, Lavrov said, "We emphasized the need to adhere to the principle of political settlement of all Syrian issues through Syrians themselves, in accordance with international references, including UN Security Council Resolution 2254."
Minister Lavrov added, "We discussed cooperation within the framework of Astana, Jordan's effective role, and preparatory work for holding the next session planned this February." He added, "We agreed on the necessity of the final eradication of terrorist centers in Syria to enable us to create the appropriate conditions for the return of refugees and the reconstruction of Syria."
Lavrov said, "We have referred to the leading role of the Arab League in resolving all these issues in the interest of the Syrian people."
Lavrov added, "We discussed the situation in Iraq, Libya and Yemen and agreed on the need to create appropriate conditions by the international community to start reconciliation and improve conditions in these countries through political dialogue. We also discussed the need to activate joint efforts to ensure security in the Arab Gulf region."
Lavrov concluded, "We are looking forward to enhancing dialogue with friends in Jordan, and we emphasized that we proceed in dealing with various crises following the identical views principle on them."
In response to a question about the resumption of direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis and Russia's call for a meeting between the Quartet and some Arab countries, including Jordan, to discuss the Palestinian cause, Lavrov said, "We are convinced that these steps must be encouraged by the Quartet and other powers, including Arab countries."
He added, "We are witnessing some tangible changes that will impact the course of this process and the resumption of direct negotiations," noting that among these developments are the upcoming legislative elections in Israel, the formation of the Israeli government and the completion of the formation of the US administration, including the party responsible for foreign policy decisions.
Lavrov stressed that "there is no alternative within the framework of the Quartet except to seek to find a solution to the Palestinian cause on the basis of the two-state solution."
He lauded the key role of Egypt in the Palestinian reconciliation, adding that the Kingdom has a tangible role in this direction as well.
He added that thanks to these efforts, "We will witness during the summer of this year the holding of legislative and presidential elections and elections in the National Council in Palestine," noting that his country sees "this plan as a positive plan towards uniting all Palestinian forces."
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