Exchanges between Syria and Jordan returns
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Recently, Syrian-Jordanian relations have witnessed a remarkable rapprochement, represented by visits and contacts between officials of the two countries at all levels.
Yesterday, on Sunday, Syrian President Bashar Assad made a phone call with Jordanian King Abdullah II during which they discussed bilateral ties between the two countries and ways to enhance cooperation between them.
“King Abdullah II received a phone call from Syrian President Bashar Assad tackling relations between the two brotherly countries and ways to enhance cooperation between Jordan and Syria,” Jordanian Royal Court tweeted.
Meanwhile, the Jordanian King stressed Jordan’s support for efforts to preserve Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The phone call comes within the open up by the two countries to rapprochement and strengthening relations, after years of stalemate in war-induced relations in Syria.
On September 22, Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Faisal Mekdad, with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, discussed ways to enhance cooperation between Syria and Jordan in various fields and protect security along the common border.
“Mekdad and Safadi discussed steps that the two countries can take to increase cooperation in various fields and protect security of the common borders, in a way that will bring good for the two brotherly countries and peoples,” Syrian State News Agency SANA reported.
In late September, the two countries announced the resumption of commercial flights between them.
As a result of the security situation in Syria during a decade of war, commercial flights between Syria and Jordan stopped in 2012.
the US State Department welcomed the Jordanian announcement of the resumption of commercial flights to Syria after a nine-year hiatus.
Jordan’s decision to resume commercial flights with Syria came a day after announcing the reopening of the Jaber [Nasib] border crossing allowing the resumption of land freight movement and trade between the two countries.
Earlier, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, Major General Yousef Ahmed al-Hunaiti, received Syrian Minister of Defense Ali Ayoub, who arrived in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on an officially unannounced visit.
Reports indicated that the two parties discussed the security of common border, fighting terrorism, and drug smuggling.
On September 27, a Syrian ministerial delegation including ministers of energy, water, transportation, and agriculture visited Jordan in order to hold joint meetings to discuss several issues including power, water, and transportation, according to the Jordanian al-Mamlaka broadcast.
In July 27, the Syrian Minister of Interior Muhammad al-Rahmoun made a phone call with his Jordanian counterpart, Mazen al-Faraya, which was the first of its kind at the level of ministers in years.
During the phone call, the two ministers agreed on the joint coordination to facilitate the transit of trucks and passenger buses between the two countries.
After that, an agreement was reached among Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon to deliver power lines to Lebanon through Syria, a file that is believed to bring political and economic gains to Damascus.
Meanwhile, Amman has made efforts to exclude Syria from the Caesar Act, which prohibits dealing with the Syrian government, to agree on the power lines project.
On July, the President of the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, Nael al-Kabariti, and the Syrian Minister of Transport, Zouhair Khazim, discussed issues of commercial exchange and the movement of passengers, goods, and transit between the two countries.
On April 3, al-Kabariti discussed economic relations between Jordan and Syria, where he met with the Syrian Minister of Economy.
Al-Kabariti told al-Mamlaka TV, “The Jordanian-Syrian relationship is rooted and historical, and the visit comes to confirm the depth of the economic relationship between the Jordanian private sector and its Syrian counterpart, hoping that the visit will lead to increasing trade exchange between the two countries.”
In February, al-Kabariti met Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection, Talal Al-Barazi, to activate and develop economic cooperation and commercial exchange between Jordan and Syria.