AMMAN — His
Majesty
King Abdullah, on Tuesday in Berlin, held talks with German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz, covering regional and international challenges, as well as means
of bolstering and developing bilateral relations, according to a Royal Court
statement.
اضافة اعلان
In a joint press statement, King Abdullah
said discussions, in their first meeting since the chancellor assumed office,
were productive and wide-ranging, covering means of taking the partnership
between Jordan and Germany to further new heights.
His Majesty noted several opportunities to
enhance cooperation with Germany across a number of sectors, including water,
energy, technical education, entrepreneurship, and healthcare, pointing out
that the strategic partnership extends to defense, countering terrorism, and
promoting peace in the region and beyond.
The King voiced appreciation of
Germany’s
support for Jordan’s development projects and throughout difficult challenges,
noting efforts to capitalize on Jordan’s position as a gateway to the region
and the potential of inter-regional projects.
“I see a lot of opportunities between our
two countries to work in this sector” His Majesty added.
The King commended Germany’s role as a
strategic partner in supporting refugees and host communities in Jordan, which
is host of the second highest share of refugees per capita in the world,
praising Germany’s efforts to keep the issue of refugees at the forefront of
international discussions.
Addressing climate change, His Majesty
reaffirmed Jordan and Germany’s commitment to countering its impact, expressing
keenness to work with Germany on investing in green projects.
Thanking the German chancellor for giving
attention to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the King stressed that Jordan is
committed to
working towards peaceful solutions to regional crises, especially the core
issue of the Middle East, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, leading to the establishment
of an independent Palestinian state on the June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem
as its capital, based on the two-state solution.
“Peace between the
Palestinians and the
Israelis is essential to bring about prosperity and peace for the entire region.
Jordan firmly believes in dialogue as the way to resolve disputes, and in
respecting the sovereignty of nations, in accordance with international law,”
His Majesty added.
Noting that Jordan follows with deep
concern the crisis in Ukraine, the King reaffirmed the importance of respecting
the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of states, and
highlighted the need for all measures to be taken to protect civilians and
ensure their safety, in line with international humanitarian law.
His Majesty said Jordan is working to
facilitate the arrival of Ukrainians seeking to reunite with relatives in the
Kingdom, including waiving all visa requirements.
The King pointed out the impact of ongoing
regional crises and conflicts, which still demand international attention,
voicing appreciation for Germany’s key regional role in building bridges of
understanding between peoples.
Responding to a question on the
repercussions of the current global crisis on the region and what is required
from international partners, His Majesty said international efforts
may have lost momentum because of two years of COVID, but awareness of regional
issues remains.
“Today, we had very productive
discussions. Looking at the Middle East and the challenges there, all I can say
is there is a tremendous effort from all of us always to be able to move our
region towards the light,” the King added.
Discussions also covered the region’s
hotspots and the commitments of Jordan, Germany, the European Union, and other
countries to work towards stability and moving forward in 2022, His Majesty
said.
Answering another question on the impact
of the crisis in Ukraine on international attention to the Middle East peace
process, the King reiterated that the Palestinian cause is at the forefront of
regional concerns, saying, “we will continue to all work together to
be able to move forward, and whatever is going on in Ukraine, I don’t think
affects the vision of the leaderships in our part of the world to try and solve
this issue and move it forward.”
Addressing the repercussions of the
crisis, His Majesty said food security and prices are the challenges that
peoples will face all around the world, voicing hope that shared challenges
will enable leaders to break barriers.
“Because at the end of the day, if we do
not work together, people will suffer because of the outcomes of food security
and consumer prices around the world,” the King said, calling for rising to
peoples’ expectations.
For his part, Chancellor
Olaf Scholz expressed appreciation for His Majesty’s visit to Berlin and the
productive talks that took place.
“The trip that I had originally intended
to undertake to Jordan, at the beginning of March, could not take place … and
I’m delighted to have the opportunity to meet in-person today,” he said.
Scholz said Jordan is an important
partner. “Jordan is the anchor of stability in the region and traditionally
contributes to its geopolitical and economic social stabilization,” he
continued
The chancellor said Germany is the
second-largest bilateral donor in development cooperation and humanitarian aid,
noting that Germany will remain a reliable friend and partner.
He added that Jordan is “one of the most
important host countries for refugees in the region”, with more than 670,000
registered with the UNHCR from Syria and tens of thousands of refugees from
other nationalities.
“This is a tremendous achievement that
deserves all of our support and we are aware of that, and I think our
cooperation in this context is exemplary as well,” the chancellor said.
Turning to the Middle East peace
process, Chancellor Scholz reaffirmed Germany’s continued support for a
two-state solution negotiated by the Israelis and the Palestinians.
“I also would like to acknowledge,
highlight, and commend Jordan’s special role, when it comes to administering
the holy sites in Jerusalem,” he said.
“The situation in Syria also, is
something of concern to us. Today marks the 11th anniversary of the beginning
of the conflict. It is clear that there can only be a political solution
mediated by the United Nations on the basis of the resolutions of the United
Nations Security Council,” the chancellor added, noting that, “for Jordan, as a
neighbouring country, the effects of the conflict are very present indeed.”
Chancellor Scholz reiterated his
condemnation of the war in Ukraine, calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin
to cease hostilities and withdraw invading forces.
Earlier, the talks between His Majesty
and Chancellor Scholz covered means to continue bolstering and advancing
bilateral ties across all sectors, especially energy, health, and investment.
The King stressed the need to
consolidate efforts in dealing with climate change and to continue enhancing
international cooperation, noting the importance of Germany’s support for
development projects in Jordan, especially those related to climate change and
the national water conveyance project.
The two sides highlighted ongoing
cooperation and coordination to counterterrorism within a holistic approach
that includes the military, security, and ideological dimensions.
His Majesty urged building economic ties
between East Mediterranean countries and Europe in electric connectivity and
alternative energy.
The King said there is vast potential
for regional cooperation in infrastructure and interconnectivity to bolster
development and stability, noting that the trilateral cooperation mechanism
between Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq is a first step in that direction.
His Majesty thanked Germany for
supporting UNRWA, stressing the need to enable it to sustain its services
within its UN mandate.
The talks also covered the latest
regional and international developments, including the Syrian crisis and
efforts to reach a political solution that ensures stability and improves
humanitarian conditions.
The King said organized smuggling
attempts across the border with Syria threaten Jordan’s national security,
adding that the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army personnel are firmly countering
these attempts.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, and
a number of senior German officials attended the talks.
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