A North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) top official commended as "close and solid" the ties with Jordan. Speaking to a roundtable held Wednesday during his visit to the Kingdom and attended by the Jordan News Agency (Petra), NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy, Javier Colomina, said "Jordan is one of our most valuable partners, and it is a long-term partner in the Mediterranean dialogue. It is an integral part of the dialogue, and an important partner for us within the dialogue". Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the dialogue. Colomina, who will hold meetings at various civil and military levels during his visit to the Kingdom, underlined that the opening of a NATO office in Jordan will make bilateral relations closer. Colomina pointed out to the NATO's strong practical presence in Jordan, adding, "We signed the first defense capacity-building package with Jordan in 2014, and was updated in 2017 and 2021. We use the best possible tools in our partnerships, and we have a strong training and education program, and an integrity-building program that focuses on transparency and governance." He explained that his organization cooperated with the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) regarding the training, as Jordan participated in 2017 for the first time in regional drills carried out within the framework of the Mediterranean Dialogue, and Jordan has been participating in those drills since then. On the political level, Colomina said there is a "very strong dialogue," with Jordan, as he mentioned His Majesty King Abdullah's visits to the NATO headquarters in Brussels, and his meetings with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on several occasions, in addition to the frequent bilateral meetings between the organization and Jordanian officials. He said that his visit to the Kingdom is the first of its kind at the official level, and follows a similar visit conducted by Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant Admiral Rob Bauer, to the Kingdom last week. "NATO in general is completely satisfied with the level of cooperation with the Kingdom, and is looking for ways to increase and enhance bilateral cooperation," Colomina underscored.
Source: Jordan News Agency