On Wednesday, the director of Jordanian general intelligence, Major General Ahmed Hosni, confirmed that Amman’s relations with Damascus have taken a step forward and that there is coordination to create a safe environment in Lebanon and Syria. The Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, stressed that there is a common vision between Cairo and Moscow regarding the importance of restoring the stability and territorial integrity of Syria, and eliminating the threat of terrorism.
Hosni told reporters that Jordan is treating the Syrian issue as a fait accompli, regardless of the overlaps and international interests there, Jordan’s al-Ghad newspaper reported Wednesday.
“We did not interfere in Syria’s internal affairs because it is a neighbor and border state,” Hosni said. He added, “Let’s be realistic, we have Syrian refugees, and on the Jordanian-Syrian border there are groups that need to be dealt with to preserve the security and stability of the kingdom. We should put an end to weapons and drug smuggling.”
He added, “Our relationship with Damascus has taken a step forward. Jordan has a big problem in southern Syria, as well as the consequences of the Caesar Act commercially and economically, (…) In addition to the water issue and extremists. All that matters to us is Jordan’s interests, we had to step forward in this direction by dealing with the reality we’re facing.”
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Hosni stressed that Jordan does not want to antagonize anyone, but deals with its interest first, such as easing the water burden, the voluntary return of refugees, and the economic and security dimensions. He explained that Jordan has a good relationship with Syria from the security side, and there is coordination to create a safe environment in Lebanon and Syria.
In parallel, the Egyptian foreign minister explained, during a television intervention, that there is a common vision between Cairo and Moscow regarding the importance of restoring Syria’s stability and territorial integrity. They also aim at eliminating the threat of terrorism, and returning Damascus to its Arab scope, according to Russia Today’s website.
“Russia has a unique situation in Syria,” Shoukry added. He pointed out that there is an interest in the Turkish presence on Syrian territory and the method of dealing with terrorism and foreign fighters on its territory.”
On Monday, Shoukry stressed, during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, his country’s insistence on Syria’s return from its crisis. He noted that Syria is an integral part of the Arab national security, and historically, Egyptian-Syrian relations have always been of particular importance.
Previously, the Egyptian Foreign Minister confirmed that the purpose of his recent meeting with Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mekdad in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, was to explore how Egypt contributed to Syria’s exit and recovery from its crisis.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
