(MENAFN- Jordan Times) Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said on Saturday he was "horrified" by the violence in Syria, saying that his country "wants to do more" to help Syrian refugees hosted by Jordan.
"We are tremendously horrified to learn of this experience that so many people here face, the horrifying experiences that cause them to leave" their country, Baird said during a tour of the Zaatari Refugee Camp outside the northern city of Mafraq.
Addressing reporters at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh at the UN-administered camp, which has so far taken in 6,000 people, Baird said Canada "has been a lead donor in support" of Syrian refugees.
"We want to do more, we have come here to take a first-hand look at the situation to see what else we can do, to take that back."
Baird said Canada plans to provide an additional $1.5 million to the World Food Programme to help the refugees.
Canada has so far given $8.5 million in humanitarian aid to Syrians since the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began in March 2011, making the country the third-largest donor after the United States and Britain.
"Canada is providing Jordan with $6.5 million to [meet] the needs of Syrian refugees... We have agreed to task our officials to act expeditiously to identify the needs [of the Syrian refugees]," Baird later told reporters.
Jordan is hosting more than 150,000 Syrians, around 46,000 of whom are UN-registered.
Baird, speaking to reporters in Amman with Judeh, said Jordan is setting an "example of generosity" in dealing the Syrian refugees and trying to alleviate their suffering.
Judeh had talks with Baird, who was on a short visit to the Kingdom, which both described as constructive, informative and part of the two sides' ongoing coordination.
"We had excellent talks and we exchanged views and thoughts over the regional development particularly the Syrian crisis and the need for finding a political solution to the situations in Syria and the violence and bloodshed that is claiming the lives of innocent people," Judeh said at the press conference following the talks.
Judeh added that the two sides believe there is a need to address the Palestinian issue and push for the resumption of the negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis on the basis of the two-state solution.
"I also briefed him on the services we are offering to more than 150,000 Syrians who fled the violence in their country and sought a safe haven in the Kingdom, despite the limited resources we have," Judeh said, adding the government as directed by His Majesty King Abdullah will continue to fulfil its duties towards the Syrian citizens who arrive in the Kingdom on daily basis.
Judeh also underlined that the bilateral ties between the two countries are expected to boost after the Canadian parliament ratified the Free Trade Agreement earlier this year.
Ahead of his trip to the Middle East, which will also include Lebanon, Baird said Canada is concerned the Syrian uprising could destabilise the region and cause further political instability.
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