Judeh meets Benelux Union foreign ministers

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Saturday discussed bilateral relations with foreign ministers of the Benelux Union: Belgian Didier Reynders, Dutch Bert Koenders and Luxembourg Jean Asselborn. 

The Benelux foreign ministers are visiting Jordan as part of a regional tour to voice solidarity with Jordan and support its efforts and role in dealing with the challenges facing the Middle East, and to achieve stability and peace, as well as the efforts to host Syrian refugees, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

They also commended Jordan’s reforms in the different fields, most recently September’s Lower House elections.

For his part, Judeh commended the Benelux Union’s support for Jordan and stressed the depth of the relations between Jordan and the Benelux countries whether on a bilateral level or through the European Union.

Judeh and his counterparts discussed efforts to counter terrorism, and extremism and deal with developments in Iraq, highlighting the importance of finding a political solution to restore the eastern neighbour’s stability and safety and preserve the integrity of its lands.

Discussing the situation in Syria, especially developments in Aleppo, Judeh “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 foreign minister outlined the burdens Jordan shoulders as a Syrian refugee host and stressed the importance of supporting the Kingdom to continue its humanitarian role, commending at the same time the Benelux countries’ support in the field. 

The European foreign ministers stressed their respective countries’ stance in support of Jordan to help it cope with the ensuing burden, especially in light of February’s London donor conference’s outcomes. 

Judeh and his counterparts also discussed the situation in Palestine. He stressed the importance of reviving the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations on the basis of the two-state solution that can ultimately lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines and with East Jerusalem as its capital.