Safadi, Japanese counterpart talk ties

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Thursday on the sidelines of 77th session of the UN General Assembly, and held talks focused on enhancing cooperation and relations between the two countries.

Discussions also reviewed regional developments and the efforts being exerted to realise security, stability and welfare in the Middle East, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Safadi and Hayashi discussed means to increase cooperation in the economic, commercial and investment fields, as well as for the planned soft loan from Japan to Jordan.

The two ministers agreed to hold an upcoming strategic dialogue session to address systematic, institutional mechanisms to increase cooperation in various fields as soon as possible.

They also discussed the preparatory meeting for the Jordanian-Egyptian-Japanese trilateral meeting to coordinate stances on regional issues as well as security and stability efforts.

Safadi praised Japan's role in supporting the two-state solution and briefed his Japanese counterpart on His Majesty King Abdullah’s efforts in resuming serious and effective negotiations for peace on the basis of the two-state solution that embodies the independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital to live in security and peace with Israel, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and accredited references.

He also expressed appreciation for Hayashi and Japan’s support of Jordan’s development process, as well as Tokyo’s support to UNRWA and Jordan-hosted Syrian refugees. 

The Japanese minister stressed the centrality of Jordan’s role and His Majesty’s efforts in solving regional crises, boosting cooperation and achieving security, stability and welfare in the region.

Safadi and Hayashi also agreed to continue to coordinate efforts to develop the “historical” relations between the two countries.