King to visit Russia today as FM meets Lavrov

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah is scheduled to pay an official visit to Russia today upon an invitation by Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss regional and international developments, a Royal Court statement said Tuesday. 

During the visit, His Majesty and Putin are scheduled to discuss developments in the region, especially the Syrian crisis and the peace process, in addition to efforts to combat terrorism. 

On Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi was in Moscow, where he met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov over bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Middle East, especially the Syrian crisis and the Palestinian issue.

In joint press statements ahead of the meeting, Safadi highlighted the “deep-rooted” relations between the Kingdom and the Russian Federation, which King Abdullah and President Vladimir Putin are keen on developing to serve the interests of both countries and regional stability, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The summit meeting between King Abdullah and President Putin, scheduled for today will give a momentum for efforts to boost bilateral relations and enhance cooperation, as well as increase the level of coordination to end regional conflicts and build security and stability, Safadi added.

Safadi also stressed Jordan’s support for all efforts seeking to end the suffering of the Syrian people and sustain a blanket truce in the country, as a step towards resuming political negotiations under the oversight of the UN and in line with agreed-upon decisions, especially UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

The Kingdom supports the Astana talks between the Syrian regime and rebels, aimed at sustaining the ceasefire and paving the way for launching a political process during the planned Geneva negotiations with the participation, of concerned Arab and foreign counties, he said.

Safadi stressed the significance of halting unilateral Israeli practices, saying that if they continue, they would lead to creating an environment of despair and frustration that terrorist organistations would manipulate to spread terrorism, which threatens all.

He noted that these unilateral procedures, aimed at changing the status quo in the occupied territories, threaten the character of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian sites, and are likely to derail the two-state solution, which is universally accepted as the only solution to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

For his part, Lavrov expressed his country’s appreciation and support for Jordan’s efforts and pivotal role in achieving regional security and stability, voicing Russia’s keenness to continue coordination and consultation with the Kingdom regarding several issues and challenges in the Middle East.

He also praised the humanitarian role the Kingdom is playing on behalf of the world towards Syrian refugees, calling on the international community to rise to its responsibilities in this regard and help Jordan continue this role.

Lavrov acquainted Safadi with the outcomes of the Astana talks, which concluded earlier in the day.