Bethlehem Together – The Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Al-Safadi, confirmed that Syria’s return to the Arab League will not solve the Syrian crisis, stressing that drug smuggling operations from Syria to Jordan increased after the normalization talks with the Syrian regime.
Al-Safadi said, in an interview conducted with him by Al-Sharq News Channel, on the sidelines of the Middle East and North Africa Forum 2023: ‘Let’s be realistic, Syria’s return to the Arab League will not solve the problem.’
He pointed out that “the solution lies in confronting the consequences of the crisis, and for the Syrian government to do what it must do,” pointing out that the Syrian regime does not control all of the territory in Syria.
The Jordanian minister said: ‘Jordan will do what it must to protect its interests, especially with regard to drug smuggling,’ pointing out that his country is facing operations with a huge degree of organization, and that drug smugglers have very advanced technology, as they use drones a
nd have night vision goggles, Adding: ‘So we face a very big challenge.’
Regarding Syrian refugees, Al-Safadi pointed out that ‘Jordan is the largest country hosting refugees in the world compared to population size,’ indicating that there are 1.3 million Syrian refugees in Jordan, 10% of whom live in camps.
He continued, saying: ‘Our starting point is that refugees are victims of a crisis. We cannot make them victims again by depriving them of the right to a decent life,’ pointing out that his country wants to continue doing what it considers a humanitarian duty towards Syrian refugees, and investing in the security of the entire region.
The Jordanian minister also stressed, in his interview with Al-Sharq News, the necessity of ‘reaching a real solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict so that tensions in the region do not escalate sharply,’ pointing out that the region is undergoing many transformations.
Al-Safadi’s statements come days after the Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah II, spoke about the w
ar that his country is waging on the border with Syria to prevent drug smuggling.
King Abdullah said, at the Middle East Global Summit organized by Al-Monitor and Semaphore: ‘Bashar does not want a conflict with Jordan, but I do not know if he is fully in control.’
Last May, the Arab foreign ministers decided to form a ministerial liaison committee that includes countries including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, to follow up on the implementation of the Amman Statement and to continue direct dialogue with the Syrian regime with the aim of reaching a comprehensive solution to the crisis.
Source: Maan News Agency