US delegation hears from Jordan officials

AMMAN — Prime Minster Omar Razzaz on Wednesday received a delegation of US Congress staffers and highlighted His Majesty King Abdullah's efforts to bolster strategic bilateral ties, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

During the meeting attended by Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs Sami Daoud, the premier valued US support to the Kingdom, which is mainly geared towards services and development projects.

Razzaz also addressed the latest regional developments with the Palestinian cause and Syrian crisis at the forefront, confirming the centrality of the Palestinian cause, and highlighting the need to intensify efforts to reach a just, sustainable peace for the Palestinian issue.

Touching on the Syrian crisis, the prime minister reiterated the Kingdom's fixed stance that calls for a political solution to the crisis, which preserves the unity of the Syrian territory and people and secures the voluntary return of refugees.

Meanwhile, Senate President Faisal Fayez and the delegation discussed the latest developments in the region along with the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Jordan, outlining the economic impact caused by hosting around 1.3 million Syrian refugees.

Fayez underscored that Jordan, on the political and security levels, is “solid” but faces economic pressures imposed by the regional turmoil.

The senate president noted that the Kingdom is shouldering the responsibility of hosting refugees on behalf of the international community, urging increased international support for the Kingdom. 

Minister of Planning and International Cooperation and Minister of State for Economic Affairs Mohamad Al-Ississ also met the delegation over priorities of joint development cooperation.

Al-Ississ briefed the US delegation on the recent economic reforms implemented by the government, as well as the priorities of the upcoming stage to promote growth, create jobs and improve public services. 

The members of the delegation, for their part, commended the Kingdom's vital role, as well as the comprehensive reform, modernisation and development programmes, which positioned Jordan as a regional model. 

The Lower House’s First Deputy Speaker Nassar Qaisi also met the delegation, reaffirming the importance of maintaining Al Aqsa/Al Haram Al Sharif's status quo, and noting that Israeli escalations in Jerusalem are threatening peace.

"Jerusalem is a final status issue," he said, underscoring that the Kingdom will never give up the Hashemite Custodianship of Jerusalem's holy sites.

He also touched on the US bias in favour of Israel, noting that the continuous biased decisions, including relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem, recognising the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and attempts at passing piecemeal deals would allow Israel to continue with its extremist practices, which trigger more violence in the region.

Qaisi also acquainted the guests with the Kingdom's constitutional reforms, presenting the Lower House's achievements at the international and Arab levels.

The delegation stressed their keenness to communicate with the Lower House on several parliamentary and legislative issues to enhance expertise exchange in this field.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also discussed with the US Congress staffers the Kingdom's keenness to further the two countries' strategic relations, according to a ministry statement. 

Safadi expressed appreciation for the US Congress position in support of the Kingdom with its development programme.

The minister acquainted the guests with the Kingdom's policies for regional issues, reaffirming the centrality of the Palestinian cause, and outlining the Kingdom’s burdens of hosting Syrian refugees, as well as the latest developments of  the war on terrorism.