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Ammon News - Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi Monday said "security in the Middle East begins with resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and requires ending the occupation so that the region can live in peace and security."

In a joint statement with North Macedonia Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, Safadi said peace and stability in the region would enable collective work to address challenges, including environmental issues and food and energy security.

The statement comes at the heels of the opening of the Mediterranean Conference of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), being held in Jordan.

Safadi talked about the need to reach a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis "as soon as possible," noting the repercussions of the crisis not only on Europe, Ukraine and Russia but the world.

Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister, highlighted Jordan's "clear" positions that promote the adherence to international law, the UN Charter and the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

He added that Jordan's hosting of the conference for the third time reflects the strength of its partnership with the OSCE and the common interest in developing the partnership and joint work to counter challenges and uphold security and stability.

He said the partnership reflects the agreement that Jordan and the OSCE define security in its comprehensive concept, which includes addressing regional tensions and crises in the region, cooperating in facing challenges related to the environment, creating job opportunities, food security, energy security and empowering youth and women.

Safadi said, "What we want is to build a better future, full of opportunities and cooperation, free of neediness, oppression and occupation," adding, "the dialogue that took place during the conference was comprehensive and realistic and put all issues and challenges on the table."

He said that he would hope for the conference to yield decisions capable of creating practical approaches to address challenges.

He said the Organisation, which has 57 member states, discussed the Palestinian issue during the conference, adding that "wherever Jordan is present, the Arab Palestinian position would be present and that of the firm Jordanian position that affirms that there is no peace, no security and no stability would come to being unless the Palestinian issue is resolved based on the two-state solution that embodies the independent, sovereign Palestinian state with occupied Jerusalem as its capital on the June 4, 1967 lines."

"There is an occupation a few kilometres away from where we are sitting today. Therefore, our rejection of the occupation is a principled position, and our call for dialogue to find a solution to all conflicts also expresses a principled position," he added.

For his part, Osmani said the conference is an opportunity for all participating members to strengthen partnerships between Mediterranean countries, urging the need to focus on security with neighbouring countries.

He noted the importance of Jordan's active, important and constructive regional role in cooperation with the OSCE, adding, "The security challenges in the Middle East do not stop here, but rather travel far from the region."

Osmani added that Jordan is a partner in moving the OSCE agenda forward and a "reliable" country in realising the current security agenda, noting that organising the conference would be a joint success and would open new areas for cooperation in the future.