Judeh discusses partnership with GCC peers

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Wednesday participated in the fifth joint ministerial meeting for foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Jordan and Morocco, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During the meeting, Judeh stressed His Majesty King Abdullah's interest to enhance strategic cooperation with the GCC member states and thanked, on behalf of the Kingdom, leaders of the GCC for approving a 2011 grant of $5 billion that has helped fund economic and development projects over the past five years.

Judeh added the fund also helped the Kingdom face many economic challenges and stressed the importance of resuming coordination to support the partnership between Jordan and the GCC.

The minister discussed the conditions in the region, including the Palestinian cause and the importance of a two-state solution, combating terrorist groups — mainly Daesh — and the Syrian refugee crisis, reiterating the Kingdom’s position calling for peaceful solutions to conflicts and the need for orchestrated global efforts to combat terrorism.

In Cairo, arriving from Riyadh, Judeh met with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayraul and discussed the Syrian conflict and ways to re-launch the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations.

During the meeting, Judeh stressed Jordan’s support to all efforts seeking to establish an independent Palestinian state on the basis of the two-state solution.

For his part, Ayraul presented a briefing on his country’s vision to re-launch serious peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.

The two sides also discussed efforts exerted to push for a political solution to the Syrian crisis on the basis of the international relevant resolutions and the Geneva Communiqué 1.

Also in Cairo, Judeh discussed with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri common challenges facing the region and the latest developments in Syria, Yemen, Libya as well as anti-terror cooperation.