The foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt Monday prioritised ending the Syrian crisis and the “killing, destruction and suffering it caused for Syrians.” The Amman Consultative Meeting, held in Amman, marks the beginning of meetings that would continue to hold talks aimed at solving the Syrian crisis in line with Security Council Resolution 2254 and addresses the consequences of the humanitarian, political and security crisis, according to a statement issued by the consultative meeting. The meeting discussed addressing humanitarian issues in Syria and actions required alongside other security and political issues. The ministers and the Syrian foreign minister agreed on the agenda of the talks, which would continue according to an agreed-on timetable as part of international efforts to address security, humanitarian and political issues, the statement read. The ministers agreed on delivering humanitarian and medical aid to Syrians in cooperation and coordination between the Syrian government and the UN. The ministers welcomed the Syrian government’s decision to open the Bab al-Salama and al-Rai crossings to UN humanitarian and medical aid after the earthquake that struck Syria on February 6, 2023. The ministers said the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees to their country is a “top priority,” adding that actions “must be taken immediately.” They discussed strengthening cooperation between the Syrian government and refugee host countries and coordination with the UN to organise voluntary and safe returns for refugees. According to the statement, Syria would work with Jordan and Iraq in forming two joint political/security working groups within a month to identify the sources of drug production and smuggling in Syria. The groups would look for druglords and smugglers and take action to end smuggling operations. The ministers agreed on actions to address security challenges related to border security by establishing coordination mechanisms between the Syrian military and security agencies and their counterparts in neighbouring countries.
Source: Jordan News Agency