Tarawneh calls for peaceful solution to Syrian crisis

Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh on Tuesday reaffirmed Jordan’s stance in supporting a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis to safeguard the unity of the Syrian people and end the bloodshed in their country. During a meeting in Istanbul with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Tarawneh called for intensifying international efforts to end violence in Syria, reiterating Jordan’s support for the UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. Tarawneh, who is in Turkey to participate in the 2012 World Economic Forum (WEF), also expressed deep concern over the increasing violence in Syria, noting at the same time that the flow of Syrian refugees to the Kingdom has added to Jordan’s economic difficulties. The premier also noted that he will meet soon with UNHCR High Commissioner António Guterres to discuss the issue of the Syrian refugees in Jordan, Petra reported. Tarawneh also underlined Jordan’s appreciation of the Turkish role in the region, voicing hope that Turkey would contribute to boosting regional stability and finding solutions to the Palestinian, Iraqi and Syrian dilemmas. Tarawneh also briefed Erdogan on Jordan’s political reform process, which, he said, is geared towards boosting partisan life in the Kingdom as the major pillar of democracy. The premier also noted that one major mission of his transitional government is to move the political reform process into implementation, saying that, except for the draft elections law that is being examined now by lawmakers, all the remaining reform-oriented laws have been enacted. Tarawneh also explained that Jordan is facing economic challenges caused by the instability of energy supply to the Kingdom and the turbulent surroundings which severely affected tourism and the volume of investments in Jordan, Petra said. He also stressed the importance of enhancing Jordanian-Turkish ties in all fields, expressing the Kingdom’s willingness to benefit from Turkey’s economic and commercial achievements and its experience. Tarawneh also conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Abdullah to Turkish President Abdullah Gül and Erdogan. For his part, Erdogan commended Jordan’s reform endeavour, stressing the need to maintain constant coordination and cooperation between the two countries to address issues of common concern especially the situations in Syria and Palestine. The Turkish leader also expressed willingness to visit Jordan soon upon an invitation by Tarawneh, according to Petra. Also on Tuesday, Tarawneh took part in a WEF session on the geopolitical context of the post-Arab Spring era, in which he said that the constitutional amendments were the basis of the reform process in Jordan. He noted that 42 articles of the Constitution were revisited with the aim of ensuring balance among the three branches of government, Petra reported. Tarawneh added that, in order for the political development to be sustainable, it has to go in parallel with economic reforms that should improve the living standards of the people. He also explained that the government was forced to intervene and embark on new economic measures to save the national economy that has been deeply affected by the soaring energy bill, the unstable Egyptian gas supplies and the turbulence in the region . The premier stressed that Jordan deals with Syrian refugees on humanitarian grounds, yet in a manner that does not harm the Kingdom’s national interests. By The Jordan Times