AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah
on Tuesday urged the international community “to stand against measures that
undermine the historical and legal status quo and instigate violence” in the
Palestinian Territories, according to the Royal Court.
اضافة اعلان
In a joint press statement with Japanese
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio following bilateral and extensive talks, attended
by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, King Abdullah said “the Palestinian issue was at
the top of our discussions today”.
His Majesty stressed “the urgency of
stopping all unilateral measures that violate the historical and legal status
quo at Jerusalem’s Muslim and Christian holy sites”.
“This is key to stopping the dangerous
escalation, maintaining calm, and creating a political horizon that would
preserve the prospects of just and lasting peace, based on the two-state
solution,” the King said.
“And let us all remember that peace between
the Palestinians and the Israelis is integral to prosperity and peace for the
entire region and all its peoples,” His Majesty continued, expressing
appreciation to Prime Minister Kishida for Japan’s unwavering position on the
matter.
The King commended Japan’s leading voice
for peace in the Middle East, especially through the Corridor for Peace and
Prosperity Initiative.
With regard to the Jordanian-Japanese
partnership, His Majesty expressed pride in the strong level of cooperation and
close coordination between the two countries. “We look forward to marking 70
years of diplomatic relations next year,” he said.
The King also noted that Japan has always
stood by Jordan, and it continues to be a key partner for the Kingdom as it
moves forward in economic modernization. He thanked Japan for its continuous
development support.
“We look forward to advancing our
cooperation,” His Majesty said, noting promising sectors such as tourism,
education, ICT, and water and food security.
The King reaffirmed that Jordan and Japan’s
partnership stems from a shared belief in the importance of working towards
global stability, and it extends to cooperation in defence, as well as
countering terrorism, especially through the Aqaba Process.
For his part, the Japanese prime minister
said he shared His Majesty’s concerns over the developments in the Palestinian
Territories.
“His Majesty the King and I share grave
concerns about the Israeli-Palestinian situation,” he said, urging
self-restraint and a halt to unilateral actions to prevent further
deterioration of the situation that may hinder the realisation of the two-state
solution.
“In this respect, the role played by the
Hashemite Custodianship over the holy sites in Jerusalem is extremely
important,” Prime Minister Kishida said, expressing “deepest respect to the
leadership of His Majesty” and his efforts to ease tensions in the region.
He added that Japan will continue to
promote its own initiatives, such as the Corridor for Peace and Prosperity
initiative, to contribute to building confidence between the two parties.
The prime minister said Jordan is the
keystone for peace and stability in the Middle East and one of the most
important partners for Japan in the region. “I pay my highest esteem to His
Majesty, who has endeavored for the development of Jordan as well as for the
solving of regional issues,” he said.
Prime Minister Kishida said the talks with
His Majesty covered broad areas, including economic and security cooperation,
with the two sides agreeing to deepen the bilateral strategic partnership and
cooperation in the international arena.
In the economic field, the prime minister
cited the signing of a program to bring a solution to water shortage in
Jordan by supporting the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project,
stressing that Japan will continue supporting the Kingdom’s development
efforts.
Prime Minister Kishida said the two
countries agreed to launch bilateral cybersecurity consultations, while
strengthening security and defense cooperation, including between the Japan
Self-Defense Forces and the Jordan Armed Forces.
The prime minister said he exchanged views
with His Majesty on international developments, such as in East Asia and
Ukraine, noting that Japan will continue to work closely with Jordan as a
partner in safeguarding the international order.
He highlighted Japan’s Free and Open
Indo-Pacific initiative, voicing appreciation for the King’s support for
maintaining the international order based on the rule of law and ensuring
peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
His Majesty and the prime minister also
witnessed the signing and exchanging of notes between the Jordanian and
Japanese governments entailing a 713-million-yen grant (around $5.2 million) to
finance the procurement of devices and equipment for the Aqaba-Amman Water
Desalination and Conveyance Project, as part of the Social and Economic
Development Program.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Ayman Al-Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan, Planning
Minister Zeina Toukan, and Jordan’s Ambassador to Japan Lina Annab, as well as
a number of senior Japanese officials, attended the talks.
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