Amman: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Ayman Safadi, engaged in discussions with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira on Monday concerning bilateral relations, efforts to halt aggression against Gaza, and aid delivery to the Strip.
Safadi and Vieira held extensive talks focusing on enhancing bilateral cooperation, building on the longstanding friendly relations between Jordan and Brazil spanning over six decades.
During a subsequent press conference, Safadi emphasized the need to advance relations and boost cooperation, agreeing to conduct a comprehensive study identifying sectors ripe for increased collaboration.
He underscored the importance of periodic meetings to ensure the implementation of agreed-upon steps, particularly in vital areas such as trade, politics, investment, defense, and agriculture, where Brazil holds advanced expertise.
“We have pinpointed about 10 agreements for swift signing, with further agreements under consideration,” Safadi stated. “Pre
parations are underway for forthcoming meetings to agree on practical steps to enhance cooperation, notably in agriculture, a priority for Jordan.”
Addressing the Gaza situation, Safadi said the Israeli aggression is a crime that must cease immediately, underlining that the massacres against the Palestinian people must end.
He said that the Israeli war on Gaza is an aggression that flouts all international laws, and during which Israel is committing war crimes for which those responsible must face justice.
He added, “After more than five months of this aggression, we reject any attempt to justify it. The killing of innocents is not self-defense. The killing of more than 12,000 Palestinian children is not self-defense. The destruction of an entire society cannot be justified in any way and cannot be accepted as self-defense.”
Safadi stressed that “starving children to death and taking more than two million Palestinians hostage is a humanitarian crime driven by extremist ideology and inhuman racism, which i
s evident daily in the actions, statements and positions of the Israeli Prime Minister and the extremist racist ministers in this government.”
Highlighting Jordan and Brazil’s aligned stance, Safadi commended Brazil’s efforts during its Security Council presidency, which, he said, is unfortunately unable to carry out its role in implementing international law, protecting the Palestinian people and protecting their right to food, water and medicine from the oppression of the occupation and the barbarism of this war.
Expressing optimism for future meetings, Safadi underscored the imperative of ending the cycle of violence and achieving security and peace in the region through an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Brazilian Foreign Minister conveyed Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s greetings to His Majesty King Abdullah II and extended congratulations on His Majesty’s silver jubilee.
Vieira stressed Brazil’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with
Jordan, highlighting recent developments such as the technical cooperation agreement and the increased volume of trade between the two nations.
He underscored the significance of his visit, emphasizing the partnership between Brazil and Jordan and the Kingdom’s pivotal role in regional stability.
Discussions with Safadi covered the challenges facing the Middle East, particularly the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which Vieira said was unjustifiable.
Vieira reiterated the call for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid access to Gaza, and the swift release of hostages.
He highlighted Brazil’s efforts during its Security Council presidency to halt the war, warning against its escalation and advocating for respect for religious freedoms, particularly during Ramadan.
Emphasizing the need for Israel to engage in peace talks with Palestine and commit to the two-state solution, Vieira condemned Israeli settlements and reaffirmed Brazil’s rejection of any actions leading to the displacement of Palestinia
ns.
Regarding tensions between Brazil and Israel, Vieira said “we have good relations with the people of Israel,” stressing support for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid to Gaza and the release of hostages.
During Brazil’s Security Council presidency, efforts were made to secure a resolution for a ceasefire and negotiations. With the rising death toll, which has now reached 32,000, Vieira emphasized the urgency of halting the tragic loss of life.
Source: Jordan News Agency