Jordan renews support for political solution in Syria

Jordan on Monday reiterated its position in support of a political solution that ensures Syria's security and the unity of its people based on the Geneva communiqué. 

Speaking at a meeting in Paris, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said the political solution should meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.

The plan, he added, should allow refugees to go back to their country, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In addition to Jordan, officials from the US, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey attended the meeting, the French foreign ministry said, according to Agence France-Presse.

Monday’s talks covered preparations for a meeting on Syria in New York on Friday with Russia and Iran — the two main backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to AFP.

The New York talks are not yet confirmed, but could lead to a UN resolution, a French diplomatic source told the agency.

“We want to move fast on negotiations and fix a framework with a UN Security Council resolution,” said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The last major talks in Vienna on November 14 saw the opposing powers agree on a fixed calendar for a ceasefire in Syria, followed by a transitional government in six months and elections one year later.

Syrian opposition figures said the plan was unrealistic, but they are tentatively scheduled to meet with Assad’s regime in Vienna in early January.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government has shown no change in its behaviour on the ground, the diplomatic source added, and its Russian and Iranian allies have done little to pressure Assad into negotiations.

“Nevertheless, we are starting to see that Tehran does not want to be seen as the saboteur of the Vienna process,” the diplomat said.