King, Putin to hold summit next month over ties, regional crises

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Thursday stressed the significance of a summit to be held between His Majesty King Abdullah and Russian President Vladimir Putin next month, in enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation towards resolutions to regional crises. 

Talks between the two ministers, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings in New York, went over regional developments, with a focus on the Palestinian cause and the Syrian crisis, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

Safadi expressed appreciation for Russia’s “firm stance” in support of a two-state solution.

Safadi reiterated the threat of unilateral Israeli measures, which undermine the prospects of establishing an independent Palestinian state along the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital. 

He underlined the necessity of action by the international community to restrain occupation forces and their measures, which break international law and threaten security both regionally and internationally.

Safadi and Lavrov noted the importance of the agreement to form a constitutional committee in Syria as a step to finding a political solution to the crisis.

Safadi called for joint efforts to build on the agreement “swiftly and efficiently” in order to arrive at a solution that would restore Syria’s security and stability, rid the country of terrorist groups and set the stage for the voluntary return of refugees.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen, Safadi expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation for the UN’s effort in creating the agreement as well as support for Pedersen’s role and measures to ensure the success of the constitutional committee. 

During a symposium, organised by the International Peace Institute on multilateral action, Safadi noted that international cooperation is key to resolving shared challenges, adding that multilateral action is the “foundation” of facing the occupation, the refugee crisis and terrorism. 

“The Israeli occupation is a heinous unilateral action that requires multilateral cooperation to end it and stop its repercussions, which impact international security and peace,” Safadi said, reaffirming that combating terrorism also requires multilateral action. 

The Aqaba meetings launched by King Abdullah are a platform for multilateral action and seek to create a holistic, unifying approach to counter terrorism, Safadi said. 

Facing the burdens of the refugee crisis is “impossible” without international cooperation, Safadi noted, adding that it is “unacceptable and not possible” for Jordan and other host countries to bear them alone.

Safadi participated in a number of events in New York that included a high-level ministerial meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, as well as the 10th ministerial Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. 

Safadi also held meetings with a number of his counterparts and international officials that focused on the enhancement of bilateral relations and increased economic, commercial, investment and defence cooperation as well as regional issues, with the Palestinian cause at the forefront. 

The meetings were held with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Antanas Linkevičius, Cypriot Foreign Minister  Nikos Christodoulides, Maltese Foreign Minister Carmelo Abela and Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu. 

Safadi also addressed a number of files of mutual interest during his meetings with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Romanian Foreign Minister Ramona Mănescu, Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office Niels Annen, as well as with UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilisations Miguel Ángel Moratinos and United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Ján Kubiš. 

Safadi also met with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Mauritanian Foreign Minister Ismail Ahmed, Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.