Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos met today, at Zappeion, on the margins of the EU-Arab League Ministerial Meeting, with the Foreign Minister of Jordan, Nasser Jedah.
During their meeting, Messrs. Venizelos and Jedah signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on European Union issues, an agreement on visa exemptions for holders of diplomatic passports, and an Executive Programme for Cultural, Educational and Scientific Cooperation for 2014-2016.
Following their meeting, they made the following statements:
E. VENIZELOS: Jordan is a key country for all the developments in the Middle East. We cannot perceive the situation in the relations between Palestine and Israel, we cannot perceive the situation in Syria, the situation in Egypt, the outlook throughout the Arab world, without reference to the role of Jordan.
The strengthening of our bilateral relations with Jordan is also very important for the status of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the status of pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
We have a very close political and cultural dialogue. Our cooperation on issues of science, research and technology is particularly well developed, but what we have before us now is economic cooperation, the strengthening of the relations between the two countries’ business communities. I am prepared to respond to my colleagues invitation to visit Jordan at the soonest possible time, because the strengthening of our bilateral relations is a strategic choice on our part.
N. JUDEH: I thank the distinguished Minister, Mr. Evangelos Venizelos, for his hospitality.
I believe that the historical relations between the Hellenic Republic and Jordan are very good. We can build on these relations. Today we signed three Agreements that will help us develop and upgrade these relations to the levels we desire, so that they reflect the historical relationship between the two sides.
We in Jordan, under the leadership of King Abdullah, appreciate Greece’s role not only on the level of bilateral relations, but also within the European Union. And you are aware that today we are participating in the third Meeting between the European Union and the Arab League, which is being hosted by Greece.
As I said, our bilateral relations with Greece and with the European Union are excellent. That is why I am satisfied with the Agreements we signed and with the political convergence of our views.
We talked about issues of common interest, the Palestinian issue, the peace talks. As the American side has also argued, there needs to be a revision, we need to return to the negotiations in order to reach a definitive solution on the Palestinian issue. We have a direct interest in the resolution of the Palestinian issue, so that an independent Palestinian state can be created, with full sovereignty over the Palestinian Territories, and with its capital in East Jerusalem.
The Jordanian leadership is closely monitoring all the developments, particularly as regards the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Unfortunately, many violations are occurring in both the Christian and Muslim areas. But I believe that the well-known historical relations between Jordan and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem are very, very good. Moreover, a few week ago we were visited by the Pope. And naturally all of this strengthens this outlook, this relationship.
We also talked about the humanitarian dimension of the crisis in Syria, and we said that an end must come to the extremism that is a serious threat to the whole region. Serious problems are also being faced by Jordan, which is hosting 1.3 million Syrian refugees.
In conclusion, I would like to reiterate that we are making serious efforts to upgrade our bilateral relations, the relations between Jordan and Greece, between Jordan and the European Union, and we are optimistic that these efforts can be successful. Thank you very much.”
June 11, 2014