(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed deep concern to King Abdullah II of Jordan today over the security threats posed by extremist elements from Syria and Iraq.
This came at a meeting held at UN headquarters, where Ban discussed with the Jordanian monarch the Middle East Peace Process, and stressed on the importance of a return of negotiations for a two-state solution.
The UN official thanked Jordan for its important role as custodian of the Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as appreciating its generous hosting of Syrian refugees and stressed the importance of ensuring that border crossings remain open for all refugees.
Furthermore, Ban referred to the UN 70th General Assembly General Debate's focus on the Sustainable Development Goals, and asked for Jordan's support in translating these goals into action and national programs.
Earlier today, King Abdullah II addressed the General Assembly, where he stressed that the power of working together far exceeds any individual effort. "This great General Assembly must address urgent world issues: sustainable, inclusive development that can deliver more opportunity, especially to young people, and peaceful political solutions to regional crises," he said.
On the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), he called this crisis "a third world war," where everyone must respond with equal intensity. That means global collective action on all fronts, he said.
Referring to the refugees his country are hosting, the Jordanian monarch said that it is the world's obligation to find solutions and provide relief for the millions of refugees in the Middle East.
Nevertheless, he confirmed that they are still facing huge shortfalls, cuts and threats to vital UN programs and agencies, including UNRWA, UNHCR and WFP. It is high time that the international community acts collectively in facing this unprecedented humanitarian crisis, and support countries like his own and Lebanon, "which have been carrying the brunt of this burden over the past four years," he added.
The Syrian refugees alone constitute 20 percent of Jordan's population.
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