Jordanian House Speaker Reassures Georgia over MPs’ Sokhumi Visit

Atef Tarawneh, speaker of the Jordanian House of Representatives, reiterated the country’s “full respect” of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, two weeks after the visit of three Jordanian lawmakers to Sokhumi.

In an official letter, signed on March 21 and released by the Georgian Parliament today, the Jordanian House Speaker highlighted that he was “fully aware of the political issues in your region and their repercussions on the international arena,” but added that he could not prevent parliamentarians from visiting “any part of the world.”

“With regard to a recent visit by some members of the Lower House to Abkhazia, we would like to stress that they paid the visit in their personal capacity and that the visit does not reflect the Jordanian lower House’s official stance, which is in line with the official position of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with regard to the issue in Abkhazia, and the full respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic of Georgia,” reads the statement.

Atef Tarawneh also recalled the recent visit of Georgian Parliament Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze to Amman, saying it was “successful” in further enhancing bilateral ties between the two countries.

The three-member Jordanian delegation, led by MP Mansour Saif Eddin Murad, visited Abkhazia on March 7-9, and held meetings with the region’s Russia-backed legislative and executive authorities, including the Abkhaz leader Raul Khajimba, “parliament speaker” Valery Kvarchia, and “economy minister” Adgur Ardzinba.

In Abkhazia, the Jordanian lawmakers were hosted by the International Fund Apsny, a Sokhumi-based public organization. The Fund representatives, including the head of the region’s “investment agency” Simon Agrba, visited Amman last December, where they reportedly met with the Jordanian Parliament Speaker Atef Tarawneh.