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Turkey, Jordan will work together for voluntary return of Syrians

August 17, 2021 at 12:50 pm

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi (R) give a joint press conference following talks in Amman, Jordan on August 17, 2021 [Fatih Aktaş/Anadolu Agency]

Turkey and Jordan will work together to help Syrians voluntarily return to safe parts of their country, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated during his visit to Jordan today, Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah reports.

During a joint press conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, Cavusoglu stated that the Syrian crisis was one of the most important topics on the agenda among other regional issues including Libya and Afghanistan.

Safadi said that the burden of hosting Syrians cannot be placed only on the countries in the region.

“The international community must assume its responsibility towards neighbouring countries in order to provide adequate conditions for Syrian refugees,” he said.

Ahead of his visit, in an op-ed published by Jordan’s Al-Ghad daily titled “Turkey-Jordan Relations at a Historical Turn,” Cavusoglu commented on the future of the two countries along with their bilateral relations and regional developments.

He said that Turkey and Jordan are the countries that have been affected the most in dealing with the political and economic burdens of the crisis in Syria, which has been ravaged by civil war for over a decade. He said finding a solution to the Syrian crisis and ensuring the voluntary and safe return of Syrian asylum-seekers is a common priority of both countries.

Turkey has been hosting the largest population of refugees and immigrants under temporary and international protection since 2015, with nearly four million refugees – the majority Syrian.

Jordan also hosts nearly 700,000 displaced Syrian migrants.

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