Amman, July 2 (Petra) -- Senate President Faisal Al-Fayez called for expanding Jordanian-French economic and investment partnerships and increasing trade and cooperation across various sectors during official talks in Paris on Thursday.

Al-Fayez urged French investors and business leaders to capitalize on investment opportunities available in Jordan, particularly in tourism, renewable energy, advanced technology, food security, water, and public transport. He said Jordan offers security, stability, and an attractive investment environment.

The remarks were made during talks with French Senate President Gérard Larcher as part of an official visit to France at Larcher's invitation. The meeting was attended by Al-Fayez's accompanying delegation and Jordan's ambassador to France, Lina Al-Hadid, according to a Senate statement.

The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing coordination to address the consequences of conflicts in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-U.S.-Israel war and Israel's continuing aggressive and expansionist policies.

Al-Fayez praised the depth of Jordanian-French relations, saying they are based on mutual respect and serve the common interests of both countries. He described France as a key partner for Jordan in efforts to achieve peace in the region and said His Majesty King Abdullah II and French President Emmanuel Macron are committed to strengthening bilateral ties and advancing political solutions to regional conflicts.

He called for France to assume a greater role within the European Union in promoting joint investments with Jordan to help the kingdom address economic challenges stemming from developments in the Middle East.

Supporting Jordan is in the interest of all parties, Al-Fayez said, describing the kingdom as a cornerstone of stability in the Middle East and warning that any threat to its security and stability would have wider regional repercussions.

On regional developments, Al-Fayez said Jordan hopes a final agreement will be reached to end the Iran-U.S.-Israel war but stressed that the kingdom will not allow its territory to become a battleground for any party and strongly rejects Iranian attacks on Jordanian territory and the Gulf states.

He said His Majesty King Abdullah II has called on the international community to end the conflict and work toward a comprehensive and lasting de-escalation that would pave the way for peace, adding that Jordan advocates resolving disputes in accordance with international legitimacy and international law.

Al-Fayez reiterated Jordan's rejection of Israel's continued aggressive and expansionist policies and called on the international community to compel Israel to implement the Gaza ceasefire agreement and end its military operations in Syria and Lebanon.

He also reaffirmed Jordan's rejection of any solution to the Palestinian issue that undermines its national principles or threatens its security and stability, as well as its opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians.

Al-Fayez praised France's support for Arab causes and its backing of King's efforts to promote peace in the Middle East and resolve the Palestinian issue on the basis of a two-state solution.

He also welcomed France's support for the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, its opposition to attacks by Israeli settlers on those sites, and its support for preserving the city's historical and legal status quo.

Al-Fayez urged the European Union to adopt stronger measures to encourage Israel to accept a two-state solution, including economic sanctions, saying action against individual Israeli ministers such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir alone is insufficient.

He expressed appreciation for French economic assistance to Jordan and called for continued French support for the kingdom's development and reform programs. He also urged the European Union to increase assistance through investment projects across various sectors and stronger economic partnerships with Jordan's private sector.

For his part, Larcher praised His Majesty King Abdullah's role in supporting international efforts to end conflicts in the Middle East and achieve peace.

He described Jordanian-French relations as strategic and based on mutual trust and respect.

Larcher said the French Senate would strengthen bilateral ties and remove obstacles hindering further cooperation in all fields. He also pledged to support Jordan's tourism sector by emphasizing that Jordan remains an attractive tourist destination because of its security and stability despite the regional conflicts and economic challenges it faces.

He said Jordan, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, has avoided becoming drawn into regional conflicts while preserving its security.

Larcher reaffirmed France's commitment to the two-state solution, its support for the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and its opposition to attacks by Israeli settlers and any changes to the city's legal and historical status.

He added that the French Senate, through the French-Jordanian Parliamentary Friendship Committee, would continue to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, including parliamentary relations.

As part of the official visit, Al-Fayez and the accompanying delegation also met with the chairman and members of the French Senate's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces.

The meeting reaffirmed the strategic nature of Jordanian-French relations and the importance of expanding cooperation in the political, economic and security fields.

Al-Fayez praised the role of French companies, financial institutions and the French Development Agency in supporting Jordan's development priorities, particularly in water, infrastructure, energy, climate adaptation and economic modernization.

The meeting also addressed developments in the Middle East. Al-Fayez said the region continues to face the repercussions of the Iran-U.S.-Israel war alongside Israel's military operations in the occupied West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.

He added that Iran's regional ambitions are no less dangerous than Israel's aggressive and expansionist policies.

Al-Fayez reviewed King's efforts to promote security and stability in the region, noting the King's call for an end to the Iran-U.S.-Israel war and for the international community to work toward a comprehensive and sustainable de-escalation to restore stability and achieve peace.

He stressed the importance of continued Jordanian-French cooperation to create the political conditions necessary to end the Israeli occupation and ensure Israel implements all provisions of the Gaza ceasefire agreement welcomed by France and the international community.

Al-Fayez also praised France's support for Jordan in addressing regional security challenges, combating terrorism and extremism, and countering cross-border drug smuggling.

He commended France's clear opposition to regional escalation and its commitment to Jordan's security, stability and sovereignty, saying France recognizes Jordan as a key regional and international pillar of stability and a force for moderation in a conflict-ridden region despite the economic challenges it faces.

Al-Fayez reaffirmed Jordan's commitment to continued coordination with France to strengthen bilateral relations, establish additional economic partnerships, expand cooperation and pursue political solutions to conflicts across the Middle East.

On the sidelines of the visit, the Senate delegation toured the Paris Fire Brigade headquarters, where they met the deputy commander and senior officers and received a briefing on the brigade's operations.

The deputy commander expressed appreciation for the visit and offered to share French expertise with Jordan in the field of firefighting as part of the strong bilateral relationship.

The delegation also met officials from Campus France, the French government agency affiliated with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research that promotes French higher education internationally and assists international students wishing to study in France.

The delegation received a briefing on the services and facilities provided to international students and emphasized the importance of increasing the number of Jordanian students studying in France while expanding technical cooperation, training and professional exchanges to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Senate.

According to the Senate statement, the delegation is scheduled to visit the Arab Media Institute in Paris on Friday, where it will meet with the institute's director and senior officials.

//Petra// AF