Jordan, India to sign cooperation agreements

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on Thursday announced that both countries will sign cooperation agreements in the mineral, textile, renewable energy, ICT and infrastructure fields, to enhance the trade exchange between Jordan and its third biggest commercial partner. 

Safadi and Swaraj reviewed regional developments, mainly the Palestinian issue, the Syrian crisis, the war on terrorism and efforts exerted to work out solutions to these regional crises, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Safadi commended the Jordanian-Indian relations that date back 70 years, and welcomed a bigger role for New Delhi in the
region.

Swaraj expressed India’s keenness to boost ties with Jordan, and praised Amman’s efforts and roles in achieving peace and stability.

She also highlighted that her country is looking forward to His Majesty King Abdullah’s scheduled visit to the subcontinent next year.

On regional issues, Safadi expressed appreciation for India’s support for an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict according to the two-state solution, and for New Delhi’s vote in favour of the UN General Assembly’s resolution that rejected the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. 

He also stressed that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the basis of regional unrest, adding that the establishment of a Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines is a prerequisite to achieving comprehensive peace and security in the region.

Regarding Syria, Safadi reaffirmed that the crisis in the Levant country cannot be solved militarily, calling, instead, for joining efforts to find a political solution to the war there.

Swaraj voiced her country’s appreciation of the Jordanian role in hosting large numbers of refugees and meeting their needs.

Meanwhile, Safadi stressed that terrorism is a common enemy that does not belong to any civilisation or religion and contradicts the values of peace and respect to others that Islam calls for. 

Prior to meeting Swaraj, Safadi delivered a speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs on challenges that threaten security in the Middle East, where he stressed that security threats are rooted in “occupation”, terrorism, children’s deprivation of of their right to education and illegal foreign interference in the region’s affairs.