Joint UN-Arab League envoy thanks Jordan for providing support to Syrian refugees
The Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on the Syrian crisis, Kofi Annan, today expressed his gratitude to Jordan for its support in receiving Syrian refugees who have fled the fighting in their country.
Mr. Annan, who arrived in Amman this morning, met with Prime Minister Fayez al-Tarawneh and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, with whom he discussed the situation in Syria and its impact on the region.
“I would like to thank the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister for the very useful discussions that we had this morning on the issue of Syria,” Mr. Annan told reporters following the meeting. “It is a very complex issue, an issue of great importance to countries in the region and to all countries around the world.”
The UN estimates that more than 9,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 15 months ago.
According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Annan also briefed Mr. al-Tarawneh and Mr. Judeh on the talks he had with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad yesterday in Damascus.
“We are working very hard to find a solution to the crisis and to ensure that the Syrian people don't suffer. I think it is important that we remind ourselves of their needs, put the Syrian people at the centre of everything we do. It is their future, their livelihoods that is at stake,” Mr. Annan said.
“It is important to find a solution that will lead to a democratic transition in Syria and find a way of ending the killings as soon as possible, and in that context, I am very grateful for the support I am receiving from the government of Jordan and other governments around the world. With goodwill and hard work, we can succeed,” he added.
Last month, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that more than 61,000 Syrian refugees are receiving humanitarian aid in the region, including 21,000 in Lebanon, 13,751 in Jordan, 23,971 in Turkey and 2,376 in Iraq. The countries have maintained an open borders policy for Syrian refugees, and UNHCR has been trying to support the Governments.