Judeh discusses ties, region with Lavrov in Moscow

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Thursday held talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on bilateral ties and political developments in the Middle East. 

The Jordan News Agency, Petra, said the meeting, held in Moscow, was part of continuous coordination and consultations between Jordan and Russia, particularly between His Majesty King Abdullah and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and part of international efforts to contain the Syrian crisis through a political solution. 

Judeh and Lavrov discussed latest developments in Syria and efforts to find a political solution to end it, Petra said, adding that Judeh reiterated Jordan's call for a solution that would guarantee Syria's stability and unity through engaging all segments of the Syrian community. 

He stressed the need to reach such a comprehensive solution based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the principles of the Geneva I communiqué.

The two officials also discussed efforts to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations, the last of which was the French initiative and the meeting held in Paris recently. 

Judeh said Jordan has always highlighted the centrality of the Palestinian cause as the core issue of conflicts in the region. 

The foreign minister underlined the importance of re-launching serious and viable talks between Palestinians and Israelis within a timeframe that should lead to the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Failing to achieve peace will continue to cause more instability in the region and the world, Judeh said, according to Petra, which noted that the minister indicated that Jordan has a national interest in establishing the Palestinian state and that all final status issues are related to vital interests for the Kingdom. 

Judeh and Lavrov also discussed developments in Iraq, Yemen and Libya, and international efforts to fight terrorism. 

Talks covered cooperation between Moscow and Amman in the field of building Jordan’s first nuclear reactor in accordance with the agreement signed between the two countries that went into effect recently, according to Petra.