Amman: Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares discussed Wednesday the “dangerous” developments in Gaza and the ceasefire efforts and ties.
The two ministers discussed in the meeting in Amman the increasing efforts to reach a complete and immediate ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring the protection of civilians and the delivery of sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid across the embattled enclave.
Safadi and Albares signed a memo regarding political consultations between the foreign ministries of Jordan and Spain and a memo between the Jordanian Diplomatic Institute in the Foreign Ministry and the Diplomatic School in the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a press conference, Safadi said, “I welcome His Excellency the Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Albares, on his first visit to the Kingdom to discuss mechanisms for building on the strategic partnership and friendship that binds the two kingdoms and to coordinate our efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza.”
He added, “At the bilateral level, we held extensive talks to agree on practical steps to increase cooperation between the two countries and build on the outcomes of the visit made by His Majesty King Abdullah II to Spain last year and his meeting with the Prime Minister.
“Today, we signed two memorandums of understanding, the first on institutionalising political consultations and the second on exchanging the experiences between the diplomatic institutes in the two countries. The two memorandums will allow continuous meetings to agree on steps to expand cooperation in various fields.”
Safadi added, “Spain has a major role in the EU and has a great history of working to achieve peace in the region. It was from Spain that the peace process began more than 30 years ago.”
Safadi thanked Albares for Spain’s “clear positions on the side of justice, ending injustice, achieving peace and fulfilling the rights of the Palestinian people in a way that also brings security to Israel within the framework of efforts ai
med at building a complete and lasting peace.”
Safadi thanked Albares for Spain’s support for UNRWA. “We agree that there is no alternative to UNRWA and its presence is important, especially in the face of the humanitarian catastrophe that continues and worsens in Gaza, and we see it also escalating in the West Bank.”
He said, “The Minister and I discussed the deteriorating situation that we see continuing in Gaza, and we agree that Gaza is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories. Any future approach must be based on this rule and aim to create a Palestinian state on the entire Palestinian territory, including the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.”
Safadi warned, “The danger is worsening, and we agreed that the Israeli Prime Minister cannot be allowed to undermine the security of the entire region. He cannot be allowed to continue this war, and the world cannot accept that children die of hunger, mothers die of thirst and about 1.7 million people are displaced.”
For his part, the Spanis
h Foreign Minister said, “Our bilateral relations are going through their best moments, and this visit will contribute to consolidating relations between Jordan and Spain.”
He added, “Today we signed two agreements: one on political consultations and the other on cooperation between our diplomatic institutes. We reviewed the economic agreements. We like to work extensively with Jordan regarding the water and alternative energy sectors.”
He said, “Jordan and Palestine are our largest partners in humanitarian cooperation, and we have committed about pound 90 million this year to cooperation in these areas. In Jordan, there are approximately 2.5 million Palestinian refugees, and part of these contributions that we will make to UNRWA will reach Jordan.”
Albares added, “UNRWA is an international institution that is not replaceable. It provides education to more than 200,000 students, and tens of thousands of people enjoy the health services it provides to them and other services.”
He said, “Jordan and Spain ha
ve common interests, we share common concerns, and they agree on one of the most important problems and difficulties that prompted me to come to Amman, which is the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the disturbing situation in the West Bank,”
He added, “Jordanian diplomacy has a strong voice and is prepared and able to deliver the message, and we, in global diplomacy, consider Jordan an important reference in this region.”
On humanitarian aid delivery to Palestinian Gazans, Safadi said, “We are doing what is available, but we all realise that the only way to deliver aid is to stop the starvation policy that Israel is adopting in Gaza and to allow the full and adequate entry of aid to all parts of the Strip,”
Source: Jordan News Agency