AUSTRIA, April 24 - Against the backdrop of new tensions in the Middle Eastern conflict and the ongoing crises in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg travelled to Jordan and the Palestinian territories on 25 April 2022. In the Jordanian capital of Amman, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met for talks with his counterpart, Ayman Safadi. On 26 April 2022, the itinerary included talks with the Prime Minister of the autonomous Palestinian territories, Mohammad Shtayyeh; Foreign Minister Riad Malki; and Christian church representatives.

One focus of Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg’s visit to Jordan was on current regional developments. During a meeting with his Jordanian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg expressed his appreciation for Jordan as a protector of the holy sites in Jerusalem. Given the current clashes at the Temple Mount, Jordan plays a special role in the Middle East peace process.

We are currently very focussed on the Russian aggression in Ukraine, but we will not forget about other regions and other crises,

said Alexander Schallenberg during his visit to Jordan.

The civil war in Syria also poses an enormous challenge for the country due to the influx of Syrian refugees. The visit by Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg is thus intended to express Austria’s and the EU’s ongoing strong solidarity and support for Jordan. In the past year alone, Austria provided 4.5 million euros in humanitarian aid to Jordan; its relief payments for the entire region since the start of the Syrian crisis total around 182 million euros.

Jordan is an anchor of stability in a volatile region, and it is in our own interest to maintain and promote that stability. Therefore we want to provide clear support for even closer collaboration, including in the area of security policy,

said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, referring to the declaration of intent to hold regular political and security-policy consultations that was signed during his visit.

In addition to regional issues, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg also spoke with Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi about the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Austria’s foreign minister emphasised that Russia’s aggression has wide-reaching consequences that go beyond Europe’s borders. For the Middle East, the negative effects of the Russian war of aggression are primarily expressed through rising energy prices, food shortages and a slump in the tourism sector.

This is not just a European war; it also has effects well beyond Europe,

said Alexander Schallenberg.

The Middle East peace process was also a central topic during the Foreign Minister’s visit to Ramallah, in the autonomous Palestinian territories. Austria supports a sustainable, negotiated peace in the sense of a two-party solution based on international law. Good relationships built on mutual trust, both with the Arab world and with Israel, are an important priority for Austria.

In addition, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met with Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and Foreign Minister Riad Malki to discuss the efforts towards inter-Palestinian reconciliation and the economic situation in the Palestinian territories.