BRUSSELS — An official within the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has affirmed the alliance's dedication to
continuing discussions regarding the establishment of a regional office in
Jordan, marking its inaugural presence in the Middle East and North Africa. The
official expressed optimism about a prompt decision to create the office.
اضافة اعلان
In an exclusive interview with the
Brussels-based organization on Wednesday, NATO's
Deputy Assistant Secretary-General, Javier Colomina, stated that the office would strengthen the
partnership and robust bilateral relations between NATO and Jordan. He emphasized
its role as a vital link between the alliance and key entities in the region,
Al-Mamlaka TV reported.
Jordan's institutional ties with NATO date
back to 1995 when it joined the "Mediterranean Dialogue" initiative
involving seven Mediterranean countries. The initiative aims to bolster the
alliance's partnership with Mediterranean countries, framing avenues for
cooperation and coordination to ensure security and stability.
Colomina added, "It would be highly
beneficial for us to have individuals on the ground actively monitoring the
various decisions made by the allies in summit conferences and ministerial
meetings," highlighting that this is the primary goal of establishing the
office.
He explained that discussions with Jordanian
authorities and allies regarding the office's establishment have been
exceptionally positive, expressing hope for a swift decision.
Colomina pointed out that the planned office
in Jordan would be the "first" in the seven-country Mediterranean
Dialogue initiative, including Jordan, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia,
Mauritania, and Israel.
Speaking about his visit to Jordan in October,
Colomina stated that the visit went exceptionally well. He participated in the
international conference on small arms and light weapons organized by the
Jordanian Armed Forces and NATO.
He added that he had "very fruitful"
meetings with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of
General Intelligence, and officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"We have achieved an excellent level of
bilateral relations between Jordan and NATO, encompassing extensive cooperation
in areas such as training, education, language courses, military exercises, and
political dialogue," according to Colomina.
He noted that
NATO has provided a package to
enhance Jordan's defense capabilities, recently expanded to include support for
counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and crisis management. This underscores the
robustness of bilateral relations. Colomina mentioned that his visit to NATO
headquarters in Brussels earlier this month, along with his meeting with NATO
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, further confirms the strength and depth of
relations between the two sides.
During the meeting on November 6, HM discussed
NATO's partnership with Amman and regional security challenges with NATO
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO headquarters. He also participated
in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, addressing security challenges in
the Middle East and North Africa, including the situation in Gaza.
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