Jordan, UAE discuss ties, regional issues

Hosting more than a million Syrian refugees in Jordan had stretched the Jordanian economy and put burdens that outweigh the country’s capabilities and potential, said Speaker of the Lower House Atef Tarawneh.At his meeting on Monday with the Speaker of the United Arab Emirates’ Federal National Council, Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Tarawneh urged the international community to step up efforts to help Jordan deal with the repercussions of the Syrian humanitarian crisis.Talks during the meeting, which comes on the sidelines of the 9th meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Member States currently being held in Tehran, also dealt with ways to enhance Parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.Tarawneh, who is leading the Jordanian Parliamentary delegation to the conference, also briefed his Emirati counterpart on Jordan’s comprehensive reform process directed by his Majesty King Abdullah II.Al Murr praised the Jordanian-Emerati ties, stressing his country’s willingness to support Jordan in all fields.The conference decided to choose Jordan for membership of committees dealing with economic, environmental, Palestine and women affairs, while the delegation withdrew its candidacy for the membership of the committee for political affairs in favor of Palestine.