King, on third day of Norway visit, meets King Harald V, parliament president, holds roundtable with think tanks

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday met with King Harald V of Norway in Oslo to discuss bilateral relations and means of bolstering ties across various fields.

During the meeting, held at the Royal Palace and attended by Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, King Abdullah reaffirmed the strong ties between Jordan and Norway, expressing keenness to advance them further, especially after King Harald and Queen Sonja’s state visit to Jordan in 2020, according to a Royal Court statement.

 Also on Monday in Oslo, His Majesty met with Norwegian Parliament President Masud Gharahkhani to discuss means of stepping up bilateral cooperation, especially economy and development.

The King voiced appreciation of Norway’s support for development programmes in Jordan, as well as the assistance provided to refugees and host communities.

His Majesty stressed Jordan’s keenness to advance cooperation with Norway to address global challenges associated with climate change and food security, as well as mitigating the humanitarian and economic repercussions of the COVID pandemic.

Turning to the Palestinian cause, the King reiterated the need to preserve the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and maintain calm in the holy city, especially during Ramadan.

His Majesty urged continued efforts to reach just and comprehensive peace, on the basis of the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

For his part, the Norwegian parliament president welcomed the King’s visit, saying it is an opportunity to further build understanding between the two countries and discuss ways of enhancing cooperation, especially in trade and investment, given the interest of major Norwegian companies in investing in Jordan.

Gharahkhani praised Jordan’s key regional role in welcoming and caring for refugees, noting that four European countries are expected to receive four million Ukrainian refugees due to the ongoing crisis.

The importance of visit exchanges between the Jordanian and Norwegian parliaments was also discussed, with Gharahkhani highlighting his upcoming trip to region, which will include Jordan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Director of the Office of His Majesty Jafar Hassan and Jordan’s Ambassador to Norway Muhib Nimrat attended the meeting.

 Also during the visit to Oslo, His Majesty held a roundtable with think tanks, including representatives from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and the Peace Research Institute Oslo.

The meeting covered the latest regional and international developments, Jordan’s positions on various issues and regional crises, as well as the partnership between Jordan and Norway.

Turning to the situation in the Palestinian Territories, the King reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position on the Palestinian cause and the importance of stepping up efforts to reach just and comprehensive peace, on the basis of the two-state solution.

His Majesty warned against the repercussions of not achieving a two-state solution, which may lead to a renewed outbreak of violence, especially in Jerusalem.

Discussions also touched on the efforts underway to maintain support for UNRWA to enable it to continue providing its services in accordance with its UN mandate, which Jordan sees as essential.

Discussing regional developments and their impact on Jordan, the King called for reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria, noting the ongoing challenges facing the Kingdom on its northern border as the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army work to counter drug smuggling and other security challenges.

His Majesty noted Iraq’s central role and its importance in bolstering regional security and stability.

The roundtable also covered the developments in Lebanon and their implications.

The King stressed the importance of prioritising the humanitarian dimension of crises in the region.

Moreover, discussions touched on the crisis in Ukraine and its implications on international food security, as well as the structural pressures arising from receiving refugees and their far-reaching implications, especially on the economy amid the current circumstances.

His Majesty also spoke about the transformations in the Middle East, as some relations are leaning towards the economic dimension, in parallel with addressing political challenges.

The roundtable touched on UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security, submitted by Jordan in 2015 and supported by Norway, for its importance in advancing the engagement of young people — who represent the vast majority of the region’s population — and protecting them from radicalisation.

The attendees commended Jordan’s key role in working towards political solutions to regional crises, as well as its efforts to achieve peace and bolster security and stability regionally and internationally.