Foreign Ministers of Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq held a trilateral meeting yesterday on the sidelines of the 18th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan.
The three ministers discussed means of attaining the outcome of the second summit between Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and Iraqi President Barham Salih in New York in September.
They also agreed that the next ministerial meeting will be held in Amman in November, in preparation for the tripartite summit among the three countries' leaders in Baghdad.
The ministers tackled means of boosting economic, development and cultural ties, as well as continuing political consultation among the three states. The latest regional updates, including those related to the Palestinian issue and the Syrian, Yemeni, and Libyan crises, as well as the fight against terrorism were also discussed.
With regard to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) negotiations, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry updated his Jordanian and Iraqi counterparts on the outcome of the recent meeting between Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Sochi.
In this regard, Shoukry said that Egypt seeks to reach a binding agreement that guarantees the three countries' rights based on the international law and rules of international legitimacy.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed al-Hakim have expressed their support for Egypt in preserving its rights to the Nile waters and resolving its dispute with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) through negotiations.
The talks covered Iraq's efforts to establish security and stability while achieving the Iraqi people's aspirations.
They also discussed preparations for the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction set to be held in November in New York.