Moscow in favour of continuing cooperation with Jordan — diplomat

AMMAN — Kursk State Medical University and the Jordan University of Science and Technology are currently examining the possibility of launching a satellite for peaceful purposes, Russian Ambassador to Jordan Boris Bolotin said on Monday.

In an interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, which focused on aspects of cooperation agreed on during the Jordanian-Russian ministerial committee meetings that recently concluded in Moscow, the ambassador said his country will continue to encourage such cooperation.

Moscow will work to increase exchange visits by Jordanian and Russian academics, Bolotin added.  

Citing a recent visit by a Russian delegation of university presidents to Jordan, the ambassador said several cooperation agreements on joint scientific research were signed.

Bolotin also underscored the developing relations between the two countries.

At the beginning of next year, the two sides will start implementing a project to support Jordan’s civil defence capabilities at a cost of around $3.5 million, as well as a $12 million school nutrition project financed by Russia, the ambassador said. 

Referring to challenges facing economic cooperation, Bolotin said regional conditions represent a logistic obstacle for Jordanian exports to Russia, by land, in particular. 

The envoy added that his country is highly concerned about the conditions in the Middle East, especially amid increasing radicalism and terrorism, stressing Moscow’s openness to all parties “to confront this phenomenon”.  

Bolotin expressed Russia’s readiness to host a political dialogue that brings members of the Syrian government and opposition representatives together to discuss disputed issues. 

Noting that Moscow supports efforts to arrive at a reconciliation, starting with freezing the fighting in different parts of Syria, he acknowledged that there are many difficulties. 

Turning to the Palestinian issue, Bolotin said Russia has always stressed the importance of dealing with the Palestinian situation and is still calling for reviving international efforts to relaunch the peace process.