FM conveys King’s greetings to Qatar emir

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Tuesday participated in the consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers and the Arab League’s extraordinary session in Qatar.

Received by Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Safadi conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah’s greetings and his keenness for both countries to strengthen their historical relations which are witnessing greater development in all fields as well as continued coordination and consultation on regional issues to serve common Arab issues and interests, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Sheikh Tamim conveyed his greetings to His Majesty King Abdullah, stressing the strength of relations between Jordan and Qatar.

The Qatari emir received Arab foreign ministers and heads of delegations participating in the consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers and the Arab League’s extraordinary session in Qatar to discuss developments pertaining to the Renaissance Dam issue.

The consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers, called for by Qatar, covered ways to enhance joint Arab action in facing the region’s crises and serving Arab issues and interests.

The meeting discussed regional developments, foremost of which is the Palestinian issue, the illegal Israeli provocative measures, the attacks on the Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and efforts to end the war.

The meeting also touched on developments in Libya, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon.

Safadi also participated in the ministerial extraordinary session of the Arab League to pinpoint the latest developments regarding the Renaissance Dam issue, which was called for by Egypt and Sudan.

During the meeting, Safadi stressed that the water security of Egypt and Sudan is part of the Arab national security and that the Kingdom “absolutely stands” with Egypt and Sudan in protecting their water rights, according to the statement.

The league’s member states adopted a resolution that underlined the solidarity of Arab countries with Egypt and Sudan in protecting their legitimate water rights, which is considered part of Arab national security.

The resolution also called on the UN Security Council to hold an urgent session to discuss this issue and take the necessary measures to launch negotiations aimed to reach, within a specific time frame, a fair, balanced and legally binding agreement on the Renaissance Dam that takes into account the interests of the three countries.

On the sidelines of the Arab League’s ministerial meetings, Safadi held a series of meetings and discussions with Arab foreign ministers with the aim of maintaining coordination and joint consultation.

The Jordanian foreign minister met with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, where he stressed the importance of the consultative meeting of Arab foreign ministers to mobilise joint Arab action and strengthen Arab solidarity in facing common challenges, thanking Qatar for hosting the meetings and praising its role in supporting Arab causes.

The two foreign ministers agreed to continue coordination and consultation in the service of common interests and to promote joint Arab action.

Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein held a meeting within the tripartite cooperation between Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, in which they discussed achievements materialised by the ministerial teams in the three countries to complement the ongoing preparations for the upcoming leaders’ summit to be hosted by Baghdad.

The three ministers stressed the need to follow up on the proposed projects and their implementation mechanisms within specific time frames in order to maximise benefit, develop economic capabilities and achieve strategic integration between the three countries.

The ministers reiterated the keenness of their countries to bolster coordination, cooperation, strategic integration and consolidate bonds, in implementation of the directives of leaders and the outcomes of previous summits, the latest of which was the Amman Summit hosted by the Kingdom last August.

Safadi and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan stressed the keenness of the two kingdoms to continue working to strengthen  historical relations and cooperation in various fields, in implementation of the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The two ministers reviewed developments in the region, highlighting the importance of mobilising joint Arab action in facing the challenges in the region.

In another meeting, Safadi examined ways to develop and strengthen the Jordanian-Kuwaiti relations with Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al Mohammad Al Sabah, where His Majesty King Abdullah and Kuwait Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah lead the process of boosting cooperation and coordination.

The two ministers also discussed enhancing joint Arab action, regional developments and efforts to resolve regional crises and achieve security and stability.

Meeting with Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush, Safadi focused on furthering bilateral ties and efforts to support security and stability in Libya to achieve the aspirations of the Libyan people for growth and prosperity.