Safadi meets with Turkey’s Erdogan in Ankara over ties, region

AMMAN — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi on Tuesday in Ankara, who conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah's congratulations to the Turkish president on his recent reelection.

Safadi also relayed His Majesty's best wishes to Erdogan with regard to serving Turkey's interests and further advancing the country’s progress, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

President Erdogan returned His Majesty’s greetings, highlighting the "deep-rooted and brotherly" relations between the two countries.

The meeting covered methods to strengthen bilateral relations, solving regional crises — predominantly the Palestinian issue — and realising regional safety and security. 

Safadi also held extensive talks with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, regarding ways to enhance bilateral ties and increase coordination in response to regional crises. 

The two ministers also discussed regional issues, with both officials condemning the recent Israeli aggression in the Palestinian city of Jenin, describing the actions as a “serious escalation” that only furthers tensions in the entire region.

Both parties stressed the need to immediately halt the recurring aggression, with Safadi urging the international community to take urgent and effective action to provide protection to the Palestinian people.

The ministers also noted their mutual keenness to develop economic and cultural cooperation between the two nations, outlining the steps necessary for achieving increased coordination in multiple fields. The two likewise detailed measures to broaden bilateral relations in accordance with directives issued by His Majesty King Abdullah and President Erdogan. 

In their first meeting after Fidan assumed office as foreign minister, Safadi and his Turkish counterpart reviewed steps to draft several agreements envisioned to help increase cooperation.

The ministers also discussed efforts to solve the crisis in Syria and the Syrian refugee crisis.

Following the meetings, Safadi and Fidan held a joint press conference, where the two spoke about Jordanian-Turkish relations and regional issues.