Jordan, EU discuss cooperation, regional developments

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Saturday met Johannes Hahn, the EU commissioner for European neighbourhood policy and enlargement negotiations, and discussed bilateral cooperation and the latest regional developments.

Judeh voiced Jordan's appreciation for the EU's continuing support to enable it to overcome the humanitarian repercussions of the Syrian crisis.

Discussions also covered European neighbourhood policies and efforts to revive peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis to arrive at the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

For his part, Hahn underlined the "pivotal" role Jordan is playing to maintain the security and stability of the region.

Meanwhile, Jordan, along with the EU, chaired a recent Euro-Mediterranean meeting in Brussels that focused on labour and employment.

Mohammad Qudah, the Labour Ministry's deputy secretary general, highlighted the ministry's efforts to reduce unemployment and move towards a more organised economy.

He stressed the difficulty of such an endeavour in light of the hardships facing the labour market due to the Syrian influx.