Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s talks with Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi

On May 3, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Ayman Safadi, who is in Sochi on a working visit.

The two ministers thoroughly discussed developments in the Middle East in the light of the internal conflicts and terrorist threats that continue to have a destabilising effect on regional and global security.

In this context, special attention was given to the developments in Syria. Mr Lavrov and Mr Safadi reiterated their resolute support for Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, saying there is no alternative to a political settlement through inclusive intra-Syrian dialogue on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 2254. They praised the cooperation between their countries that is taking place both on a bilateral basis and at the monitoring centre in Amman that is overseen by the two countries plus the United States to ensure the functioning of the temporary de-escalation zone in the southwest of Syria.

While discussing the status of the Palestinian-Israeli settlement process, the two ministers pledged again their commitment to a two-state solution on the generally accepted foundation in international law, including relevant resolutions by the UN Security Council and General Assembly, as well as the Arab Peace Initiative. They expressed grave concern about the dangerous escalation in the region, in particular growing tensions in the Gaza Strip.

Regarding Iraq, the ministers hailed the efforts of this country’s government to counter terrorism and regain full control of the areas where ISIS has been defeated. They pointed to the importance of reaching intra-Iraqi accord on the basis of dialogue involving all political forces, ethnic groups and faiths, which will allow Iraq to remain a united federative state that is sovereign and independent.

Current aspects of bilateral Russian-Jordanian relations were also discussed during the meeting. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen mutually beneficial ties in various areas, making effective use of the potential of the Russian-Jordanian Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation.