Romanian FM: Jordan's vaccination of refugees a model of solidarity....1st add

(MENAFN - Jordan News Agency) 2. How do you view the relations between the two countries after 55 years of establishing diplomatic ties?More than half a century of diplomatic ties is, in itself, an indication of our excellent bilateral relations with the Kingdom. Our ever-growing relations at bilateral and multilateral level are based, inter alia, on the convergence of views on a wide range of international issues. Jordan is a very special and reliable partner in this region, exercising balanced and reasoned approaches, essential for regional stability.Our special partnership also relies on our shared values and interests, such as preserving international peace and security, promoting a rules-based global order, sustainable economic growth and youth education.We are also keen on expanding our bilateral investments and trade, as priorities of our foreign relations' agenda and I plan to discuss economic cooperation in pragmatic terms during my meetings in Amman.Besides the political, economic and cultural ties, we particularly value and appreciate the role of approximately 13,000 Jordanian citizens who graduated from Romanian universities and who are now successful specialists with significant experience in various fields in your country. The role of the Romanians living and working here in Jordan is also significant. These interconnected communities and real people-to-people contacts are a bridge between our two countries and cultures, facilitating stronger political contacts.3. How do you perceive Jordan's role in achieving stability and moderation in the region? Is there coordination and consultation between our two friendly countries? What about the existing partnership between the two countries?As I previously mentioned, Romania highly appreciates the Kingdom's efforts for regional peace, stability and prosperity. In this context, I would like to commend the tireless activity of His Majesty King Abdullah II in supporting the international efforts against terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization. These are extremely complex phenomena, which require in-depth knowledge and multi-faceted responses, including through the value-added initiative of the Aqaba Process.Furthermore, we appreciate the important role played by Jordan in the Middle East Peace Process and we welcome the recent meaningful talks to achieve peace in the region within the Amman Format, also called the Munich Group.We acknowledge the Jordanian outstanding work as a key player engaged in developing the relationships between the MENA region and the EU, including by assuming the Co-Presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean.Romania and Jordan cooperate as like-minded partners in the framework of EU-driven formats, as well as on various topics of relevance within the framework of NATO and at multilateral level.We hold regular consultations with our Jordanian partners on ways of expanding our bilateral ties and addressing regional issues, the most recent being conducted online, at MFA level, less than a month ago. These frequent contacts provide the framework for fruitful exchanges of views and assessments on the MEPP file. As underlined during our talks, Romania will continue to advocate for a long-term solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on a fair, comprehensive and sustainable agreement, in accordance with the "two-state solution", Israel and Palestine, to coexist in peace and security.Moreover, it is my pleasure to announce that Romania will increase its contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to 150.000 EUR for 2021, a threefold increase compared to previous years.This is a firm proof of our support for the organization's capacity to implement its mandate effectively in assisting and protecting Palestinian refugees, many of whom reside in Jordan. We also encourage other partners to increase their contribution to the agency.4. Is there cooperation to combat COVID-19, and has the pandemic negatively affected the economic cooperation between the two countries?Our countries and the entire world have gone through exceptional circumstances over the past year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has had a strong impact on our countries and regions, with far-reaching and unprecedented consequences, and has also underlined the importance of acting in solidarity to address its effects. Thus, Romania seeks to cooperate with its European and international partners, as well as traditional allies, such as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.I would like to commend the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for its COVID-19 response strategy and successful vaccination campaign, and I hope that your country's efforts will yield positive and long-lasting results. We also commend Jordan's COVID-19 vaccination program for refugees and asylum seekers, as a model of solidarity in the region and beyond.We highly appreciated the Jordanian support to repatriate Romanian citizens in 2020 and we are also very grateful for the support and care that the Jordanian Government continues to extend towards the Romanian community living and working here. Your country's openness and assistance in this crisis has been an authentic example of international solidarity and true friendship.In addition to the considerable loss of human lives, the pandemic has strongly affected our economies. Thus, I believe that working together to expand and improve our economic cooperation beyond the crisis is the only way forward, and my visit to Amman stands proof of our commitment to recovery and further development. I firmly believe that, despite the health crisis and its economic fallout, we will continue to act towards enhancing our dialogue and collaboration, to the mutual benefit of our countries. One important lesson we have learned during the pandemic crisis is the importance of strategic resilience of countries, societies and multilateral systems. To this end, cooperation and coordination with like-minded partners, who share the same values, stands at the core of reducing or ceasing dependencies on actors who act upon different views and interests and do not share our respect for multilateralism, the rules-based international order, international law and democracy.More...More....04/04/2021 11:38:35 MENAFN04042021000117011021ID1101858129