India looks to further cooperation with Jordan — official

AMMAN — India on Tuesday said Jordan has a pivotal role in ensuring regional stability and security.

Speaking at a meeting with acting Foreign Ministry Secretary General Mohammad Tayseer Bani Yassin, Anil Wadhwa, secretary (East) in the ministry of external affairs of India, commended Jordan’s leadership, expressing his country’s keenness on maintaining coordination with the Kingdom.

Bani Yassin briefed Wadhwa and other delegates on the US-brokered peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis and the outcome of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visits to the region.

Bani Yassin asserted the Kingdom’s continued support for efforts that lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 border and with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the basis of international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.

Discussing developments in Syria, he emphasised Jordan’s position in support of a political solution that guarantees the security and safety of Syria and its territorial integrity and meets the aspirations of the Syrian people.

Bani Yassin also highlighted the humanitarian repercussions of the crisis and the burdens borne by the Kingdom as a result of hosting more than 600,000 Syrian refugees, stressing that the international community should shoulder its responsibilities to help Jordan pursue its humanitarian mission. 

Later on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh met with the delegates, who arrived in Amman on Sunday for a several-day visit, to examine ways to boost bilateral relations and discuss the latest regional developments.

Judeh highlighted the “strong relations” between the two countries and their peoples in all fields, underscoring the importance of efforts to develop the two-way relations. 

He cited a recent meeting with India’s Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid on the sidelines of an international conference and affirmed Jordan’s keenness on maintaining and fostering cooperation. 

The delegates, who are in Jordan for foreign office consultations, are also scheduled to meet with other Jordanian officials to discuss issues of mutual interest.