Jordan’s King orders holding parliamentary elections process


Jordan’s King Abdullah II ordered on Wednesday holding parliamentary elections process in accordance with the first paragraph of article 34 of the constitution in the manner stipulated in the law.

The Royal Hashemite Court said in a statement, the King visited the Independent Election Commission (IEC) and met with its president and board of commissioners to check on preparations to administer and oversee the electoral process.

The King urged the IEC’s board of directors, staff to work and ensure a successful and seamless electoral process, emphasizing zero tolerance of any violations, the statement added.

The King stressed that Jordan is embarking on an important stage of political modernization, being part of a new phase of platform-based partisan and parliamentary action.

The statement continued, The King said he directed the government to provide all support to the IEC.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Saudi Permanent Representative to Arab League Meets with Speaker of Arab Parliament


Cairo: The Saudi Permanent Representative to the Arab League, Ambassador Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Mattar, met today in Cairo, with the Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Adel bin Abdulrahman Al-Asoumi.

During the meeting, they reviewed aspects of parliamentary cooperation between the Kingdom and the Arab Parliament, and discussed a number of issues of common interest.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Kuwait affirms importance of group work in facing common challenges


The State of Kuwait affirmed on Wednesday the importance of group work in facing common challenges especially in light of recent armed conflicts and humanitarian crises.

This came in a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the occasion of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.

“Kuwait appreciates the role of international organizations and groups, especially the United Nations, in leading the international movement to confront the unprecedented challenges that affect everyone, including international relief and humanitarian work to alleviate the suffering of peoples due to armed conflicts and natural disasters,” said the statement.

“Kuwait renews its firm commitment to the principle of multilateralism and diplomacy as basic tools for maintaining international peace and security, calling on all countries to cooperate closely with the United Nations and other organizations and groups to adhere to the principles of multilateralism in order to achieve a more peaceful and pr
osperous world for all,” it added.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Saudi Ambassador in Egypt Meets UNICEF Representative


Cairo: Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Osama bin Ahmed Nugali met on Wednesday with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Egypt Jeremy Hopkins.

During their meeting at the embassy, Hopkins commended Saudi Arabia’s role in supporting UNICEF programs.

Participants also discussed the programs of the UNICEF in the region.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Kuwait, Jordan echo support for regional security, stability


His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Jordanian King Abdullah II reiterated on Wednesday support for regional security and stability, along with dialogue and diplomatic solutions for conflicts.

This came in a joint statement issued by both sides following His Highness the Amir’s two-day-long state visit to Amman.

They also underlined the significance of opening communication channels for building bridges of partnership and cooperation, promoting values of solidarity, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, ensuring sustainable regional growth, stability, and peace, and respecting states’ sovereignty.

Both leaders also stressed that it is essential to work to reduce tensions in the Middle East, fend off military escalation and find fair, all-out, and lasting peaceful solutions to regional conflicts.

They called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council (UNSC), to adopt a resolution imposing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protecting civilians, delivering
humanitarian aid to Gaza, staving off further escalation, and rejecting war spillover, incursions into Rafah and displacement.

The leaders of Kuwait and Jordan, further, reaffirmed that Palestine is a central cause and that a fair solution would fulfill all legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, based on the two-state approach involving an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 border with Eastern Jerusalem as its capital, in line with relevant international legitimacy resolutions.

In this context, they underlined that the Arab Peace Initiative is the sole way to achieve just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East region.

Furthermore, both sides called for maintaining the existing historical and legal status of Islamic and Christian holy sites, with His Highness the Amir emphasizing the role of Jordan in protecting religious sanctuaries and their Islamic and Christian identity.

They stressed that regional shipping routes should be protected in line with international law and
the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in order to maintain the interests of all world countries and that agreements concluded by the region’s countries be respected.

The Khor Abdullah agreement reached by Kuwait and Iraq on April 29, 2012, which became effective as of December 18, 2013, should be observed, calling for protecting Khor Abdullah from any transnational terrorist and criminal activities, according to the joint statement.

In this context, both leaders called for commitment to the security exchange protocol, calling on Iraq to reconsider the protocol signed with Kuwait in 2008, which includes a specific revision and cancellation mechanism.

The Kuwait-Iraqi sea border demarcation should be completed to be beyond the mark 162 as per relevant UN conventions and treaties, urging the respect of Kuwait’s sea and land sovereignty in line with UNSC Resolution 833/1993.

They also underscored that Durra offshore oilfield falls within the maritime boundaries of Kuwait and that natural re
sources in the divided zone between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, including Durra field, only belong to both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as per international law and bilateral accords.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and his accompanying delegation arrived on Tuesday in Jordan on a state visit.

His Highness the Amir was received by Jordanian King Abdullah II and the Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Jordanian King Abdullah II held official talks at Basman Palace on Tuesday, about the deep-rooted bilateral ties between the two countries and ways of boosting cooperation to serve the aspirations of the two peoples.

His Highness the Amir congratulated King Abdullah II on the 25th anniversary of his coronation, praising Jordan’s achievements under his wise leadership.

The King of Jordan awarded His Highness the Amir the Order of Al-Hussein ibn Ali as a sign of deep and firm relations between both countries.

His Highn
ess the Amir voiced his deepest gratitude and thanks to the King of Jordan for awarding His Highness the Order of Al-Hussein ibn Ali.

At the end of his visit, His Highness the Amir expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the King of Jordan for the warm welcome and hospitality during the visit.

His Highness the Amir said that the visit reflected deep and distinguished relations between the two countries and peoples, and aimed to strengthen fruitful and constructive cooperation between the two countries in a way that serves common interests and realizes their peoples’ aspirations.

His Highness the Amir also invited the King of Jordan to visit the State of Kuwait at a date to be determined later through bilateral diplomatic channels.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Palestinian woman shot dead by Israeli occuption in W. Bank


A 20-year-old Palestinian woman was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday near the village of Beit Ainun, north of Al-Khalil (Hebron) in the West Bank.

The 20-year-old woman, Maimouna Abdel Hamid, was fatally shot in the head by Israeli occupation soldiers north of Al-Khalil (Hebron), the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The Israeli occupation army radio claimed that a Palestinian woman was shot dead by one of the soldiers after she attempted to carry out a stabbing attack.

According to a statement by the Palestinian Ministry, the number of martyrs in the West Bank since the seventh of last October has reached 488 martyrs, including 122 children, five women, five elderly people, as well as 10 prisoners inside the occupation prisons.

Source: Kuwait News Agency