Ammon News -
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, held talks in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, with Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pekka Haavisto.
The talks dealt with enhancing cooperation in many fields, including technology, environment, agriculture and tourism, and addressing the impacts of the Corona pandemic, in order to bolster ties between the two countries.
The two ministers also discussed ways to enhance cooperation and coordination within the framework of the Jordanian-European partnership, which is witnessing constant development in various fields.
On the regional aspect of the talks, Safadi and Haavisto focused on efforts to find real political prospects to achieve a just and lasting peace and to ensure the provision of the necessary support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which suffers from a severe financial deficit, the Kingdom is making intensive efforts with international and regional partners to bridge it.
Talks between Haavisto and Safadi, who arrived in Helsinki on the second stop of a tour that started in Norway yesterday and will end in Sweden tomorrow, also dealt with developments in the region, including efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, support for refugees and host countries, supporting Iraq and fighting terrorism.
In a press conference with the Finnish Foreign Minister, Safadi said that talks discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and the solid ties between the two countries, especially in the fields of tourism, investment, technology, agricultural technology and other fields.
Safadi indicated that he and his Finnish counterpart discussed regional issues and efforts to resolve the region's crises, adding, "We continue to seek to mobilize international efforts to restore momentum to the peace process and find a political horizon for resolving the conflict on the basis of the two-state solution."
On the issue of refugees, Safadi pointed out that the low volume of support for refugees is worrying, lauding Finland's important role and its contribution to international efforts to provide humanitarian support to refugees and keep their cause on the international agenda.
He also expressed his hope to continue working with Finland to ensure continued support for refugees and host communities, including Jordan.
Safadi also valued the support provided by Finland to the UNRWA, noting that Finland is among the twenty countries that provided the most support to the UN agency.
He added that the issue of supporting the UNRWA is at the forefront of the agenda of his current tour, which includes Norway, Finland and Sweden, to ensure that the necessary funding is secured for the agency to continue providing basic services to Palestinian refugees.
Safadi said he was looking forward to meeting his Swedish counterpart on Wednesday to push efforts aimed at mobilizing international support for the agency.
He added that Jordan and Finland share many values, and said he was looking forward to continue working with Finland to build on the strong relations that unite the two countries and increase cooperation to confront the region's crises, foremost of which is the Palestinian issue, the Syrian crisis, supporting Iraq and Lebanon, and the fight against terrorism, which poses a threat to all, stressing that Finland is a strong partner for Jordan.
For his part, Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pekka Haavisto, welcomed Safadi, lauding the depth of ties between the two countries.
He pointed out to the alignment of views on many issues, including climate change and human rights.
Haavisto said that the Kingdom's role is central to efforts to establish peace and stability in the region.
Haavisto touched on the Corona pandemic and its impact on the economies of many countries in the Middle East, including Jordan.
"Today's meeting was an opportunity to talk about the economic and social effects of the Corona pandemic on Jordan," Haavisto added, stressing his country's readiness to help Jordan in addressing the repercussions of the pandemic.
He also lauded the levels of cooperation between Jordan and Finland, especially in the areas of innovation and technology.
Haavisto commended Jordan's leading and key role in hosting refugees, stressing that his country will continue to provide support to UNRWA and organizations specialized in supporting refugees and their human rights.
He also expressed his concern about some developments in the region, especially in Lebanon, and their impact on neighboring countries and the stability of the region.
In response to a question, Safadi pointed out to the Kingdom's efforts in coordination and cooperation with its partners in the United States, Europe and the region to achieve calm during the recent escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories and to stop the Israeli violations in Jerusalem and the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif, the aggression on Gaza and preventing the displacement of the people of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood from their homes, which would have constituted a war crime in accordance with international law.
Safadi also stressed that Jordan will continue its uninterrupted efforts to maintain calm and progress towards achieving a just and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution that embodies the independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital, to co-exist in security and peace alongside Israel in accordance with international law and the Arab peace initiative.
He said that Jordan is reaching out to everyone, including the Israeli government, in order to find the political horizon required for progress towards a just peace, to prevent a recurrence of the recent escalation and its causes, and to stop all measures that undermine the two-state solution and the chances of achieving a just peace, stressing that the situation cannot continue as it is.
In response to a question about the issue of sedition, Safadi said that Jordan's stability is solid and sedition was nipped in the bud before it posed any threat to the security of the Kingdom, noting that the issue was dealt with according to the Jordanian approach characterized by calm and wisdom.
Safadi added that Jordan is now focusing on everything that is basic and necessary for its future and interests, namely the political reform that His Majesty the King formed a royal committee to modernise, as well as economic reform that addresses economic challenges, ensures better performance of the Jordanian economy, fights poverty and creates job opportunities.
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