FM, Kuwaiti officials review efforts to bolster Amman-Kuwait ties, region

AMMAN — Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al Sabah on Thursday received Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi who is on an official visit to Kuwait.

Safadi conveyed a message from His Majesty King Abdullah offering congratulations over Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah's recovery, wishing him continued good health and well-being, and the people of Kuwait continued progress and prosperity.

The two sides highlighted the deep Jordanian-Kuwaiti ties, with Safadi hailing Kuwait's supportive stances towards the Kingdom, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The top dilomat also discussed with Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al Sabah, who attended the meeting, means of bolstering bilateral ties and the latest regional developments.

Safadi and his counterpart highlighted the importance of following up on the implementation of the 17 agreements, memoranda of understanding and executive programmes in various fields to enhance cooperation. 

The deals signed by the joint Jordanian-Kuwaiti higher committee last February covered various fields such as legal and judicial cooperation, education, tourism, industry, meteorology, environment, civil administration development, oil, gas and renewable energy, as well as social affairs. 

The two ministers discussed ways of furthering cooperation in various fields, stressing the importance of intensifying efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the centrality of the Palestinian cause to the region, which cannot be resolved unless the Palestinians receive all their legitimate rights, especially to freedom and an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital along the June 4, 1967 lines, in accordance with international legislation and the Arab Peace Initiative. 

The two sides also reaffirmed their rejection of all unilateral Israeli measures that aim to change the facts on the ground and alter Jerusalem’s historical and legal status quo or that of its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

The Kuwaiti official commended the Kingdom’s role under His Majesty King Abdullah’s leadership in protecting the Muslim and Christian sites in East Jerusalem under the Hashemite Custodianship of holy shrines. 

Safadi expressed gratitude for the Kuwaiti support to UNRWA, with the two sides underlining the importance of sustaining support to UNRWA so that it can continue playing its UN-mandated role towards the refugees.

Talks also went over the need to enhance efforts seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis through a political solution, which preserves the country’s unity and cohesion, restores security and stability, achieves national reconciliation and sets the stage for the voluntary return of refugees. 

The two sides also urged the international community to shoulder its responsibility through increasing support for the Kingdom, as a refugee-hosting country.

For his part, Sheikh Sabah hailed the Kingdom’s humanitarian role in hosting Syrian refugees.

Both sides also reaffirmed the importance of preventing escalation in the Arab Gulf and defusing the current crisis through dialogue to achieve regional relations that are built on the principles of good neighbourliness and non-interference in internal affairs.

The discussions also touched on resolving the Yemeni crisis in accordance with international legitimacy references, in addition to combatting terrorism, which, they said, contradicts all cultures and religions.

The importance of maintaining coordination and consultation between the two countries on various issues of mutual concern was also stressed, in the best interest of their peoples, with the officials highlighting their countries’ common vision.