Safadi meets Russian presidential envoy for Syrian settlement

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Wednesday received Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syrian Settlement Alexander Lavrentiev.

Safadi and Lavrentiev discussed efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and the resulting humanitarian disaster, according to a ministry statement.

They also discussed developments in the crisis in Syria and efforts to reach a political solution that preserves Syria’s unity, cohesion, and sovereignty, restores its security, fulfils the aspirations of the Syrian people and creates conditions conducive to the voluntary return of refugees.

Safadi warned of the dangers posed by continued attempts to smuggle weapons and drugs from Syria into Jordan and stressed that Jordan will continue to take all necessary steps to eliminate this threat and protect its interests and the safety of its citizens.

Also, Safadi and Lavrentiev discussed Jordanian-Russian relations, the mutual commitment to enhancing them across various fields, and several issues of common interest.

Also on Wednesday, Safadi received a phone call from Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, during which they went over the latest regional developments and the importance of joining efforts to reach an end to the aggression on Gaza and prevent the war from expanding in the region.

Safadi stressed the need to intensify efforts to stop the war on Gaza in a way that guarantees the protection of civilians and delivers adequate and sustainable humanitarian aid to the besieged strip, according to a second ministry statement.

The two ministers also discussed bilateral relations and expressed joint keenness to enhance these ties in all fields at the bilateral level and trilaterally with Greece and within the EU.

Also on Wednesday, Safadi received a phone call from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The discussion focused on efforts to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza. The two top officials reviewed the ongoing negotiations led by Egypt, Qatar and the US to reach an exchange deal that ends the war against Gaza.

Safadi and Blinken also reviewed the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, highlighting the urgent need for rapid and sufficient aid delivery. They stressed the importance of ensuring that aid reaches all areas of the war-torn strip and discussed ways to cooperate to achieve this goal.

The ministers also discussed efforts to draw up a roadmap to end the conflict and achieve a just and comprehensive peace, where Safadi reiterated that the only way is to put an end to the occupation and ensure the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 4 June 1967 borders, living in peace and security alongside Israel, in line with a two-state solution.

Safadi expressed concern about Israel's continued illegal activities in the occupied West Bank, which undermine the two-state solution, hamper the Palestinian economy, target the Palestinian National Authority and its institutions, and push towards escalation.

Safadi stressed the need to prevent the conflict from spilling into Lebanon by activating international efforts to enforce compliance with Resolution 1701.

Stopping the aggression against Gaza is a crucial step in protecting the region from the risk of a wider conflict, according to Safadi.

The discussions also covered several bilateral issues between Jordan and the US.

In a separate phone call earlier the day, Safadi spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati, congratulating him on his new role.

The two ministers expressed their commitment to strengthening the Jordanian-Egyptian relations and maintaining close coordination to serve the interests of both nations.

They also confirmed continued consultations and coordinated efforts to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and alleviate the resulting humanitarian crisis.

They agreed to meet soon as part of the ongoing process of coordination and consultation between the two countries.