Jordan, Russia discuss Jerusalem, ties

AMMAN — Russia appreciates Jordan’s efforts in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and achieving peace and stability in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.

At a meeting with Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh in Moscow, Lavrov said Jordan plays a central role in the Middle East, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Judeh and Lavrov’s talks focused on bilateral ties and the latest regional developments.

Discussions also tackled the outcome of His Majesty King Abdullah’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, with the two sides vowing to maintain cooperation and coordination, Petra said.

Judeh reaffirmed Jordan’s rejection of the Israeli assaults on Al Haram Al Sharif in occupied Jerusalem, pointing to the Kingdom’s statement at the Security Council which carried a warning against the consequences of the provocative Israeli measures.

He called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and pressure Israel into halting its violations as an occupation force and abide by international law, Petra reported. 

Security Council members, he said, expressed their appreciation of Jordan’s custodianship of Islamic and Christian sites in Jerusalem during Wednesday’s emergency meeting.

The two diplomats also discussed efforts to revive Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations to lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the basis of the two-state solution within the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

During the meeting, Judeh highlighted the pivotal Russian role in all regional issues, including Syria, Iraq, terrorism and the peace process.

The two ministers also reviewed developments in Syria, underlining the need for a comprehensive political solution to the ongoing crisis that can safeguard the territorial unity of the war-torn country and put an end to the large-scale suffering of its people.

In this regard, Judeh highlighted the increasing refugee burden borne by Jordan, noting that the Kingdom has become “exhausted” due to the non-stop refugee influx.

He urged the international community to increase its support to the Kingdom to enable it to continue offering humanitarian assistance to the refugees.

Discussions also covered preparations for the meeting of the joint Jordanian-Russian committee next week during which several cooperation agreements are scheduled to be signed.