Riyadh: Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi Sunday participated in the joint ministerial meeting between Jordan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to discuss cooperation and the Israeli war on Gaza.
The meeting, the sixth between the GCC countries and the Kingdom, discussed ways to enhance cooperation and the work of the joint committees to institutionalise the expansion of cooperation in vital sectors.
The meeting also discussed efforts to stop the Israeli war on Gaza and several other regional and international issues.
Safadi discussed with the GCC ministers the “importance” of the meeting, which reflects joint keenness to build on the strategic historical relations between Jordan and the GCC countries, especially during regional challenges and an ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza enclave.
Safadi said he would like to discuss enhancing cooperation between Jordan and the GCC countries, “There is a solid foundation on which to build, and over the years, we have been able to f
ramework methodologies to increase our cooperation in several economic, investment and tourism fields.”
He added, “Cooperation between Jordan and the GCC states reflects a common will, especially that our security is one, our interests are one and our ability to confront common challenges increases the more we work together.”
He added, “Today we face the gravest challenge in our region, which is the continuation of the brutal Israeli aggression against Gaza. We are all working to stop this aggression and deliver sufficient humanitarian aid to more than 2.3 million Palestinians facing famine.”
H said, “The Palestinian issue is the central issue of all of us, and we will spare no effort in working to end this aggression and do everything necessary to achieve a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, which will not be achieved unless the Palestinians obtain all their legitimate rights, first and foremost their right to statehood and freedom on their national territory on the lines of June 4, 1967, with occupie
d Jerusalem as its capital.”
He urged the international community to “effectively” end the war on Gaza and stop illegal Israeli measures in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem by preventing Muslims from practising their religious freedom during Ramadan.
“I look forward to working with all of you not only to develop our bilateral relations, but also to end this aggression and find a real horizon for achieving just and comprehensive peace,” Safadi said, adding, “The region will not enjoy stability as long as the occupation continues, and as long as the conflict is open.”
For his part, the Chairman of the joint ministerial meeting between the Kingdom and the GCC, the Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed Al Thani, said in his opening speech: Our meeting expresses our common aspirations to achieve fruitful achievements and outcomes in the process of relations between the GCC countries and Jordan through the joint action plan between the countries of the Cooperation Council and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Al T
hani added, “Our Arab region has been burdened by successive crises that have flared up since the war in Gaza raged and have cast their shadows on the surrounding countries, witnessing an unprecedented security escalation in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen, which has added complexity to the overall political landscape of the region and destabilised its security and stability.
“Our countries have worked together since day one of the crisis to push the international community towards stopping the shedding of Palestinian blood, finding peace in our region and confronting the dangerous repercussions of this war regionally.”
He said, “The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has always been at the forefront of the countries calling for a solution to the Palestinian issue based on the firm Jordanian position towards this first Arab and Islamic issue and the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem and its holy sites.”
In turn, the Secretary-General of the GCC, Jasem Albudaiwi, said, “We meet today within the framework of th
e joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Jordan based on the common and sincere desire to strengthen the deep-rooted and distinguished historical relations of brotherhood that unite us intending to support the existing strategic partnership between the two sides and develop it in various fields.”
He said, “The Cooperation Council affirms its firm support for the security, stability and sovereignty of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its support for all measures it takes in combating terrorism, drug smuggling and other illegal activities that threaten the security and stability of the region.
Albudaiwi discussed Saudi Arabia’s initiative in September 2023 in partnership with Jordan, Egypt, the Arab League and the EU to revive the peace process and establish an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He added that the GCC condemns the armed attacks on the Jordanian border by terrorist groups and drug smugglers.
Source: Jordan News A
gency