Jordan, Cyprus to follow up on talks held between two leaders

AMMAN — Jordan and Cyprus on Thursday stressed the need to follow up on the talks held earlier this week between His Majesty King Abdullah and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.  

During meetings with Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, Senate President Faisal Fayez, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh expressed Jordan’s commitment to enhance cooperation with Cyprus.

Anastasiades left Amman on Thursday at the conclusion of his official visit to the Kingdom.

During his meeting with the Cypriot official, Fayez commended bilateral relations, especially in the parliamentary field, thanking Cyprus for its supportive stances on Jordan through its membership in the European Union, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Kasoulides said strengthening ties with Jordan is one of the Cypriot government’s top priorities, calling for enhancing bilateral cooperation in various fields, especially energy, and activating agreements signed between both countries. 

In a separate meeting, Tarawneh reviewed available opportunities for economic cooperation, highlighting Jordan’s “favourable” investment climate.

The House speaker called for increasing tourism cooperation and facilitating the entry of tourist groups to both countries.

Judeh and his Cypriot counterpart reviewed cooperation in the tourist and economic sectors, stressing the importance of taking advantage of available opportunities.

In remarks after the meeting, Judeh said the new Jordanian embassy in Nicosia, which will open by 2016, is a major step to enhance relations.

Turning to the Syrian crisis, the foreign minister voiced Jordan’s position, which calls for a political solution to end the unrest, adding that he will take part in the Vienna meeting on Saturday to discuss the issue.

Judeh highlighted the burdens Jordan bears as a result of hosting many Syrian refugees, who now constitute 20 per cent of the Kingdom’s population.

In addition, Judeh said the absence of negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis leads to violence, stressing the importance of reviving peace talks to arrive at the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital within the June 4, 1967 lines.

Kasoulides said Jordan is hosting Syrian refugees on behalf of the world and should be assisted urgently to be able to continue this humanitarian role.