Jordan's king, Syrian president discuss stabilizing southern Syria, border security

AMMAN, Jordan/ANKARA

Jordan's King Abdullah II and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held talks Thursday to discuss enhancing stability in southern Syria and strengthening border security between the two nations.

This came during a phone call between the two leaders during which they reviewed "bilateral relations and current developments," Jordan’s royal court said in a statement.

King Abdullah II highlighted the important role of the newly established Jordan-Syria Higher Coordination Council in managing and advancing cooperation in vital sectors, including water, energy, and trade.

On Tuesday, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi visited Damascus and signed an agreement to establish a Higher Coordination Council between the two countries.

Both leaders also agreed on "the importance of intensifying efforts to stabilize southern Syria and enhance border security," the statement said.

Jordan shares a 375-kilometer (233-mile) porous border with Syria.

Syria has seen hundreds of attempts to smuggle drugs under the former regime of Bashar al-Assad as a result of the deteriorating security conditions in the country. After Assad’s fall, however, smuggling attempts through the border have significantly decreased.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.

Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president for a transitional period in January.