AMMAN, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Jordan and Lebanon on Tuesday underlined the need for continued support to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
At a meeting between Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil, the two sides agreed that resolving the Palestinian issue is a key for achieving peace in the Middle East.
Safadi referred to a recent meeting held in New York, where donor countries reiterated support to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), while reaffirming its vital role in providing services for Palestinian refugees.
The Jordanian top diplomat said it is important to intensify efforts to secure necessary funding for UNRWA so it can continue its operations, citing that the agency's funding shortfall for this year is estimated at about 60 million U.S. dollars.
He said the issue of Palestinian refugees needs to be addressed via final status talks and in line with the Arab Peace Initiative and the UN resolutions, which guarantee the right of return and compensation for Palestinian refugees.
Safadi said resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be based on the two-state solution, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
On Syria, the two sides emphasized the importance of seeking a political solution and creating an appropriate environment for the return of the refugees to their homes.
Safadi said the technical committees from Jordan and Syria are holding meetings on reopening the border crossing between the two sides.
He added that the borders will be opened when all meetings and necessary procedures are completed.
Also on Tuesday, King Abdullah II of Jordan received the Lebanese official and discussed the bilateral ties and developments in the Middle East.
