Minister of Interior Mazen Al-Faraya held talks on Monday in Vienna with his Austrian counterpart, Gerhard Karner, during an official visit to the Republic of Austria. The discussions focused on bilateral relations between Jordan and Austria and explored ways to support the voluntary return of Syrian refugees to their home country.
اضافة اعلان
The talks resulted in strengthened security cooperation and deeper ties between the two ministries, with agreements on areas of joint coordination and collaboration.
During the meeting, Al-Faraya highlighted Jordan’s significant role in hosting Syrian refugees over the past 14 years, with the number exceeding 1.4 million. He reaffirmed His Majesty King Abdullah II’s continuous directives to provide all forms of support to Syrian brothers and sisters. He also outlined the free and comprehensive services Jordan offers to Syrian refugees, particularly in education, healthcare, and social services, which are considered essential in any country that upholds humanitarian values.
Al-Faraya reiterated Jordan’s support for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees and its ongoing efforts to create favorable conditions for their repatriation.
He also expressed Jordan’s gratitude to the European Union and Austria for their support of Syrian refugees in the region.
The talks also addressed the need to reduce illegal migration, stressing that providing support and bolstering development in countries of origin is an effective approach to limiting such migration.
Al-Faraya emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating drug trafficking and highlighted its dangerous impact on the region and the world. He called for unified international efforts and greater collaboration between anti-narcotics agencies and law enforcement bodies across countries to counter this global threat.
In this context, both ministries agreed to strengthen cooperation between Jordan’s Public Security Directorate and the Austrian Federal Police in areas of mutual interest, particularly in intelligence sharing.
For his part, the Austrian Interior Minister praised Jordan’s pivotal role in maintaining regional stability and emphasized the importance of supporting countries in the region. He also commended Jordan’s efforts since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict and its central role in hosting and caring for Syrian refugees.
Karner referred to his visit to Jordan in March, during which he witnessed firsthand the conditions of Syrian refugees in camps and the quality of services provided to them.
— (Petra)
