Jordan, Netherlands to further advance cooperation

AMMAN — Jordan and The Netherlands on Sunday held discussions focused on translating, on the ground, the outcomes of His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit to the European country to improve cooperation in economy, trade, security and defence.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi and his Dutch counterpart Stef Blok stressed during a meeting in Amman that the two countries would launch joint programmes to boost cooperation in the fields of economy, investment, water, agriculture and vocational training, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

The ministers underscored bilateral cooperation within the framework of the international coalition to counter terrorism and maintain regional stability and security.

Safadi and his counterpart reviewed the latest regional developments, with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Syrian crisis at the forefront of discussions.

In joint press remarks with Blok, Safadi said that the Dutch minister's first visit to Jordan created an opportunity to discuss fostering cooperation and building on the “important discussions held by King Abdullah in The Netherlands”.

The ties between the two countries are witnessing significant progress, he added, noting that a number of programmes were launched to benefit from Dutch expertise in the sectors of agriculture, water and irrigation and vocational training. 

The top diplomat also highlighted increasing cooperation between the two kingdoms in the fields of defence and security, indicating that The Netherlands’ hosting of the Aqaba process meetings this year, which was launched by His Majesty to coordinate global efforts in the war on terror, indicates that the two countries see eye-to-eye on how to address terrorism and extremism.

Safadi commended The Netherlands’ stance in support of a two-state solution which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, expressing gratitude for the country’s financial support to UNRWA.

He warned against the ramifications of the Israeli escalation in the Palestinian territories and the absence of prospects for pushing forward the peace process, which threatens peace and stability in the entire region.

The foreign minister also stressed on the need for intensifying international efforts to launch negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis on the basis of the two-state solution.

Talks also focused on the necessity of exerting more efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis. 

Safadi lauded The Netherlands’ support to help the Kingdom fulfil the needs of some 1.3 million Syrian refugees.

The Dutch minister said that his country is keen on fostering its relationship with Jordan.

Blok also praised Jordan’s policies and stances, describing the Kingdom as “an oasis of stability” and commending its humanitarian role in serving refugees. 

He also stressed his country’s keenness on fostering cooperation with Jordan in the security and defence arenas.

Safadi and his counterpart agreed on launching more cooperation programmes through direct communication between officials in both countries.