Joint priority programmes, wheat import top FM’s meeting with Romania PM 

AMMAN — Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Tuesday met with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca in Bucharest. 

During the meeting, Ciuca voiced Romania's interest in furthering relations with Jordan, lauding the Kingdom’s role in enhancing regional security and stability, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. 

Safadi stressed that Jordan seeks to “broaden the horizons of  mutually beneficial cooperation”, extending thanks towards Romania’s stances in support of developing Jordan-EU relations.

Similarly, Safadi held extensive talks with Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, which focused on bolstering cooperation, most notably in fields pertaining to the economy, trade and food security.

The two ministers highlighted both countries’ keenness to increase areas of cooperation within the framework of their EU partnership. 

They discussed joint priority programmes, which were agreed upon during their meeting in Amman last April, reviewing the process of their  implementation. 

Expressing interest in cooperation in the agricultural field, the two sides also focused on working hand in hand in the field of food security, referring to Jordan's imports of Romanian wheat.

The two ministers signed the amended protocol for education, culture, tourism and media related cooperation, according to which the number of annual scholarships granted by Romania to Jordanian students in the field of medicine will increase from 10 to 26. 

They also agreed to hold a meeting including the two consular departments in both ministries to facilitate granting visas to Romania, which would contribute to increasing trade between the two sides’ business sectors. 

A second round of political consultations will be held as soon as possible to define cooperation agendas and priorities in the next stage, they concurred. 

Both foreign ministers discussed efforts to activate the Mideast peace process and achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution as well as prospects for resolving regional crises, especially the Syrian crisis.

In joint press statements, Safadi thanked his Romanian counterpart for the in-depth dialogue that took place during the visit, which reflects the depth of relations binding the two countries and the common desire to increase cooperation in various fields.

Safadi described Jordanian-Romanian ties as "solid”, highlighting their development throughout the years.

Safadi expressed pride in the generation of Romanian Jordanians who formed “an additional bridge” to develop relations between the two countries.

Extending thanks towards Romania’s commitment to supplying wheat to the Kingdom, Safadi said that Jordan was always confident in continuing to obtain wheat from Romania, a major supplier of the commodity, and throughout the crisis which afflicted supply chains. 

Safadi welcomed nominating the Romanian embassy as a point of contact for NATO in Amman, starting from 2023, explaining that it constitutes an opportunity to discuss furthering cooperation between Jordan and NATO.

Turning to defence, Safadi described Romania as a key partner in the Aqaba process, which was launched by His Majesty King Abdullah to serve as a platform for to pool efforts and institutionalise action to confront terrorism. 

In regard to regional issues, Safadi said that Romania is part of the region and has a long history in dealing with the Middle East, praising Romania's support for efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution.

He stressed that the two-state solution, which guarantees the embodiment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the lines of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to live in peace and security alongside Israel in accordance with international resolutions, is the only way to achieve peace, rendering it a strategic choice and a necessity for regional and international security.

“Jordan continues its efforts along with friends in Romania, the region as well as the international community to find a real political horizon that fosters a return to serious and effective negotiations to achieve peace, once again, on the basis of the two-state solution,” he said.

Focusing on the Syrian crisis, Safadi stressed the importance of finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis, and the need for the international community to maintain support for refugees. 

Safadi also expressed Jordan's appreciation for Romania's consistent position in supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

In turn, Aurescu affirmed the depth of bilateral ties, underlining that “Jordan is a reliable friend of Romania in the Middle East, and an important economic and sectoral partner”.

Aurescu stated that the diplomatic and political dialogue with Jordan has reached “an excellent level", noting the importance of visits and contacts to enhance cooperation in a sustainable manner in all fields.

The Romanian foreign minister stressed that Jordan is "a pillar of regional stability and a true partner for Romania in the Middle East and the Euro-Atlantic region", stressing that Romania appreciates the Kingdom's main role as a stabilising factor in the region.

Romania will remain a strong supporter in  bolstering Jordan's relations with the EU and NATO, he said. 

Aurescu indicated that Jordan and Romania are working hand in hand to promote stability in the region, reiterating Romania's “firm and continuous commitment” to achieving a just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on the two-state solution, the only viable option that meets the aspirations of Israel and Palestine to live in security and peace.

Affirming his country's support to preserving the status quo in the holy sites in Jerusalem, he voiced Romania’s appreciation towards the role of His Majesty King Abdullah as custodian of the holy places in Jerusalem.

Moving to agriculture, he noted that it is one of the most important areas of cooperation between Romania and Jordan, adding that Romania is a major supplier of wheat to Jordan, thus bearing full responsibility for this strategic role amid current international developments. 

Strengthening cooperation in the field of security and combating terrorism is a work in progress, as part of the Global Coalition Against Daesh and the Aqaba Process, Aurescu  said.

During the meeting, cooperation in fields of defence, labour, social security, transportation, energy, health, education, cyber security and others was discussed, he said.

He expressed keenness to further stimulate trade between the two countries, which amounted to more than $480 million, recording an increase of more than 60 per cent compared to 2020.

The meeting dealt with organising a new session for the joint economic cooperation committee, as well as encouraging exchange visits between businesspeople and companies in the two countries through a business forum, he added. 

Aurescu praised holding the recent 12th Edition of the Romanian-Jordanian Congress of Medicine and Pharmacy (CORIMF), under the patronage of HRH Princess Muna.

The meeting also touched on the Ukrainian crisis and its consequences, he said. 

In separate meetings, Safadi also met with President of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies Marcel Ciolaco, as well as Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Chamber of Deputies and Head of the Jordanian-Romanian Friendship Committee Rosalia Piro.

The two meetings dealt with bolstering cooperation, especially concerning joint parliamentary work. 

At the Jordanian embassy in Bucharest, the Jordanian foreign minister held a meeting with Head of the Jordanian Community in Romania Samir Zanoun, and a number of members of the Jordanian community and the Crisis Unit, who provided aid and assistance to evacuating Jordanians arriving from Ukraine to the Kingdom through Romania.

Safadi voiced appreciation towards the members’ efforts, stressing that serving Jordanians is a priority in accordance with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah.

The foreign minister concluded his meeting by stressing the ministry and Jordanian missions’ commitment  to implementing Royal directives, highlighting the importance of providing Jordanian missions with all possible assistance as well as supporting Jordanians residing abroad.