Germany in ‘complete agreement’ with Jordan on Palestinian cause

AMMAN — Germany on Sunday announced that it would grant Jordan a $100-million unconditional loan to support the Kingdom's economic reform programme.

The announcement was made during a meeting held between Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his German counterpart Heiko Maas over developing the two countries' strategic partnership, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

Talks also went over regional developments and ways to resolve them to achieve peace and stability.

The top officials agreed on keeping up coordination and consultation to ease tensions and achieve regional security and stability, reiterating their countries’ commitment to the two-state solution, which they said is the only solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and a peaceful and secure region.

In press remarks following the talks, Safadi commended Germany’s “unwavering position” in support of the two-state solution and its efforts towards that end.

“We want comprehensive and lasting peace, which cannot be achieved without ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Safadi said.

He stressed that the solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a political one, and there would be no solution that falls outside the framework of a political resolution ending the occupation in accordance with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

For his part, Maas said that Germany is “in complete agreement” with Jordan in regard to the Palestinian cause, and that negotiations leading to two states is the sole path towards peace, reiterating that his country will further increase support for UNRWA.

Germany relies on Jordan’s assessment of the regional situation, Maas added, stressing the importance of the Kingdom’s “balancing role and extensive knowledge” in the region.

Safadi expressed gratitude for Germany’s support to the UNRWA noting that it is imperative for the agency to continue playing its role towards more than 5.4 million Palestinian refugees. 

Safadi and Maas also discussed the progress of efforts seeking to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, among other regional developments, especially efforts exerted to defuse tensions with Iran, the statement added. 

Safadi commended the solid Jordanian-German partnership expressing gratitude for Germany’s support of refugee-burdened Jordan, which hosts 1.3 million Syrian refugees in spite of the tough economic conditions.

Safadi noted that Germany is the second largest donor to Jordan.

He noted that the two sides agreed on intensifying efforts to solve regional crises on the bases of dialogue, good neighbourliness and non-interference in internal affairs.

Maas, during his second official visit to the Kingdom which coincides with the 20th anniversary of His Majesty King Abdullah’s Accession to the Throne, extended congratulations on this occasion, shedding light on the special role in safeguarding Jerusalem’s holy sites.  

“We are aware of the difficult economic situation the Kingdom is experiencing,” he said, commending Jordan’s cooperation with the IMF to achieve reforms.

Talks also covered Jordanian-German cooperation on the war against Daesh and German troops stationed in Jordan as part of the international coalition against the terror group, according to the statement.