• The king voiced Jordan’s support for efforts to safeguard Syria’s sovereignty, territorial unity and security
• Call was the first since the eruption of the Syrian conflict, when Jordan positioned itself against the Assad regime

Raed Omari

AMMAN: Jordanian King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad have discussed relations for the first time since the Syrian war started in 2011.

In a brief statement on Sunday, the Jordanian Royal Court said King Abdullah received a phone call from Assad during which the two leaders “discussed relations between the two brotherly countries and ways of enhancing cooperation.”

The king voiced Jordan’s support for efforts to safeguard Syria’s sovereignty, territorial unity and security.

The call between the two leaders was the first since the eruption of the Syrian conflict, when Jordan, a major US ally, positioned itself against the Assad regime along with other regional players.

During an interview with the BBC in November 2011, seven months after the uprising started, King Abdullah called for Assad to step down in the interest of his country.

Jordan, which is home to about 650,000 registered Syrian refugees, has recently started to improve relations with Syria.

High-level delegations from the two countries have held regular meetings over recent weeks on ways to enhance bilateral relations.

Syrian Defense Minister Ali Ayoub, who is also head of the army, recently met in Amman with Jordanian Chief of Staff Gen. Yousef Huneiti.

Jordan also reopened the Jaber-Nasib border crossing with Syria last week after it was closed nearly two months ago due to fighting in Syria’s southern province of Daraa.

Former Media Minister Samih Maaitah explained that Jordan has maintained a “pragmatic” approach since the start of the Syrian conflict, favoring a comprehensive political solution after over 10 years of war in their northern neighbor.

“Jordan has been always concerned about Syria collapsing into chaos because this would be of catastrophic consequences,” Maaitah said.

“That was (the) formula Jordan maintained on Syria but the new realities in Syria, primarily the regime’s military and political triumph,  have required Jordan to change course and get closer with Syria’s regime and army.”

In previous remarks to Arab News, political analyst Khaled Qudah said: “A unified and stable Syria lies at the heart of Jordan’s higher interests.”

“Amman’s strategic goal is to bring Damascus back to the Arab world . . . Jordan wants Syria as a friend and not an enemy.”