Jordan's King Abdullah discusses Syrian refugees with Spain's PM

King and Pedro Sanchez say 'favourable conditions' must be in place before Syrians can return safely to their homeland

Jordan's King Abdullah II and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday that “favourable conditions” must exist before Syrian refugees can return to their homeland, following a meeting between the two leaders in Madrid.

The King, who is being accompanied by Queen Rania, arrived to Madrid on Sunday.

The couple were guests at a lunch on Monday hosted by King Filipe and Queen Letizia.

Jordan hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who mostly fled areas in central and southern Syria, the birthplace of the 2011 revolt against President Bashar Al Assad.

The kingdom closed its border to Syrian refugees in 2014 as militants came to dominate the rebellion, which had become a brutal civil war.

Spain has some Syrian refugees, but their numbers are small, in contrast to mass migration to Turkey and other parts of Europe.

A joint communique said Jordan and Spain had “agreed on the importance of providing the favourable circumstances for the safe and voluntary return” of Syrian refugees in a way that “would preserve their dignity”.

It said Spain, in co-ordination with Jordan, would “continue supporting Syrians who were forced to flee their homes, and preserve their basic rights and help them reach long term solutions”.

The statement “affirmed the need to intensify the efforts for a political solution, based on UN Resolution 2254".

The resolution, passed in 2015, calls for an undefined political transition for the Syrian civil war and the release of prisoners as well as other measures designed to curb authoritarian rule and UN-designated terrorist groups in the country.

On the occasion of the King's visit, Spanish and Jordanian officials signed agreements to co-operate in the judicial sector and recognise maritime certificates issued by the two countries.

The meeting of the monarchs came after King Filipe's father and mother, the former king Juan Carlos and the former queen Sophia, attended the wedding of King Abdullah's son, Crown Prince Hussein, in Amman at the beginning of this month.

Jordan, whose income per head was $4,100 in 2021, is dependent on international aid, which is mainly provided by the US.

But the kingdom also receives significant support from European countries, including money for local communities where Syrian refugees live.