Jordan-Algeria joint panel ‘to meet before year-end’

AMMAN — HRH Prince Feisal, the Regent, on Tuesday received Algerian Foreign Minister Abdelkader Messahel, who handed over a written message to His Majesty King Abdullah from Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, according to a Royal Court statement. 

During the meeting, held at Al Husseiniya Palace, the two reviewed the Jordanian-Algerian brotherly relations and stressed the importance of activating the meetings of the Higher Joint Committee in the near future.

The discussion also focused on the importance of finding political solutions to regional crises, in order to serve the Arab nation and achieve security and stability for its peoples.

Prince Feisal, through Messahel, who is visiting the Kingdom as part of a regional tour, conveyed the greetings of His Majesty to President Bouteflika.

The meeting was attended by the Chief of the Royal Court Fayez Tarawneh and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Safadi.

In a separate meeting, Safadi agreed with his Algerian counterpart to set a date for the joint Jordanian-Algerian committee meeting in Algeria before the end of this year, to be preceded by meetings at the level of experts in Amman to identify sectors and areas of cooperation.

The committee, which has met seven times so far, last met in 2006.

The two ministers affirmed the determination of Jordan and Algeria to take “concrete steps to develop their brotherly relations, in accordance with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah and President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, which reflects positively on the people of both countries,” the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The officials pointed out the importance of developing legal and institutional economic cooperation frameworks that create the conditions for increasing cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries, adding that there are broad prospects for enhancing ties in the economic, trade, investment, cultural and tourist fields.

Safadi and Messahel also discussed the latest developments in the region, especially the Syrian crisis and the efforts exerted to combat terrorism, in addition to the Palestinian issue.

They stressed that resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative, is a prerequisite to bringing about regional security and stability.

They also stressed the need for concerted efforts to work out peaceful solutions to the crises affecting the region, stressing the importance of increasing pan-Arab cooperation and coordination and strengthening solidarity in order to serve Arab causes and interests.

On Monday evening, Safadi hosted a working dinner in honor of the Algerian top diplomat, attended by several officials from both sides.