Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, on Monday held extensive talks with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi and the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen. Talks dealt with efforts to solve the Syrian crisis, and focused on mechanisms of cooperation between Jordan and international organizations to face the Syrian refugees crisis. Safadi briefed the UN officials on the outcomes of the Jeddah and Amman meetings, and details of the Amman Declaration, which presented a roadmap for gradual progress towards a political solution to the Syrian crisis, addressing all its humanitarian, security and political consequences. Safadi stressed the importance of cooperation between the Arab Committee for Liaison with Syria, which was formed by the Arab League, and the United Nations and its organizations in efforts to solve the Syrian crisis, and end its resulted destruction and suffering to the Syrian people, and regional and international challenges. Safadi and UN officials discussed cooperation in implementing the Amman meeting agreement to provide the necessary security and living conditions for the voluntary return of refugees. The foreign minister said that the solution to the refugee crisis lies in providing the necessary environment for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees, calling for taking effective steps to help refugees who choose to return, in terms of ensuring their security and safety and providing them with the requirements for a decent life. Safadi briefed the meeting on details contained in the Jordanian initiative, some of which were adopted in the Amman Declaration on the return of refugees, and discussed ways of cooperation with United Nations organizations in its implementation. Safadi and the UN officials stressed the importance of the existing cooperation between Jordan and international organizations to face the burden of asylum, and providing the requirements for a decent life for the Syrian refugees in Jordan, who amount to about 1.3 million. Safadi warned of the consequences of the decline in international support for refugees, their relevant international organizations and the host countries. Safadi also warned of the repercussions of reducing services provided by some international organizations to refugees in Jordan, calling for maintaining these services. The foreign minister said that Jordan has exceeded its capacity to accommodate refugees, while facing difficult economic challenges. He urged the international community to fully assume its responsibilities towards the refugees, and to provide the support Jordan needs to continue providing the requirements for a decent life for the refugees,10 per cent of whom only live in refugee camps. He added that the burden of asylum is an international responsibility not only the responsibility of host countries, and that meeting their life requirements properly until they return to their homeland is a humanitarian duty and a regional and international security necessity. Griffiths, Grandi, and Pedersen expressed appreciation for Jordan’s great humanitarian role in hosting refugees, and providing them with educational, health, and other vital services. Participants in the meeting agreed to continue coordination and joint action in order to create the necessary conditions for the voluntary return of refugees, to assist those who choose to return, and to provide them and host countries with adequate support.
Source: Jordan News Agency
