Afghan envoy reaffirms Jordan ties on national day

AMMAN — Afghanistan’s Ambassador to Jordan Tariq Shah Bahrami on Saturday said that the Kingdom plays a vital role in bolstering regional security and stability, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah.

In an interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on the occasion of Afghanistan's national day, the envoy described Jordanian-Afghan relations as "excellent", highlighting efforts to build on these ties in various fields. 

The envoy noted that work is under way to develop a joint friendship association to boost cultural and trade cooperation, drawing attention to the two countries' “advantageous” strategic location.

Bahrami also called on the two sides to “discover and take up” investment opportunities, referring to Afghan products in the Jordanian market, including handmade carpets, marble, dried fruits and saffron. 

He also expressed appreciation for His Majesty's role in defending Islam by clarifying its real moderate image, which rejects all forms of violence and extremism, stressing his country's support of Jordan's efforts in this arena.

Talks also went over the “pivotal role” of Jordan’s field military hospital in Afghanistan, dispatched over the period of 2006-2013, which provided medical services for civilians and soldiers alike.

Touching on the latest developments in Afghanistan, the envoy said that his country has been at war for 40 years. Bahrami expressed hope that the war with the Taliban, that has been going on for 19 years, will come to an end with the cooperation of Kabul’s allies, the US and the European Union.

"We have entered into effective indirect negotiations with Taliban," the ambassador said, expressing hope that positive outcomes would lead to direct negotiations.

Referring to his country's economy, the diplomat said that the Afghan president's vision for improving the situation calls for connecting Central and South Asia through Afghanistan, which would positively affect the region.