King visits Chechnya, reviews ties with Kadyrov

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday held talks with Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov that focused on bilateral ties and other issues of mutual concern.

During the meeting, His Majesty commended the Jordanian-Chechen relationships, saying: “Our brotherly Chechens in Jordan are an integral constituent of Jordanian society with endless contributions to the country’s development.”

“This is my first visit to the Chechen Republic and I am looking forward to better bilateral relations and cooperation,” the King said, as quoted in a Royal Court statement. 

For his part, President Kadyrov expressed his country’s keenness on enhancing its relations with Jordan, the statement said.

“Today we continue our ancestors’ efforts to improve relations between the two countries,” he said.

During the meeting, which was followed by another extended one, the two leaders stressed the need to increase joint cooperation in all spheres and build on the outcomes of talks Kadyrov held in Jordan in March last year, the statement said.

The King highlighted the investment opportunities Jordan can offer to Chechen businesspeople, saying that the Kingdom provides a gateway to markets in the Arab world.

His Majesty pointed to Jordan’s role in enhancing peace and stability in the region and serving Islamic causes, beginning with explaining and promoting the true nature of Islam which rests upon tolerance, coexistence and moderation.

The Monarch also reviewed the latest regional developments, especially the situation in Syria and the peace efforts aiming at ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution, the statement said.

The meeting was attended by HRH Prince Hashem, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh as well as other senior Jordanian and Chechen officials.

On the sidelines of the visit, President Kadyrov accompanied the King and Prince Hashem to one of the biggest mosques in Grozny.

Later in the day, the Monarch arrived in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on a working visit. 

On Friday, the King, who will be accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Hussein on the visit, will hold talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on bilateral relations and ways to enhance them in various fields. Talks will also address the latest regional and international developments. 

HRH Prince Ali was sworn in as Regent.