Syria's transport ministry on Saturday (September 29th) said its main border crossing with Jordan would reopen to trade in October for the first time in three years, but Jordan said consultations were still ongoing, AFP reported.
The Syrian ministry on Saturday morning said Nassib crossing, known as Jaber on the Jordanian side, was functional, but later clarified that authorities had "completed logistical preparations" to reopen the crossing on October 10th.
Jordanian government spokeswoman Jumana Ghneimat said Saturday the "Jaber-Nassib crossing remains closed", and that no goods or travelers had passed through.
"The technical meetings to open the border are ongoing. Reopening it requires infrastructure, as well as logistical and technical standards, to be in place," she said, according to the Jordanian news agency, Petra.
The Syrian regime retook the Syrian side of the crossing in July under a deal with opposition fighters brokered by Russia. It had been sealed since April 2015.
The crossing was a key link not only for direct trade between Jordan and Syria, but also for longer distance transit trade between Lebanon and the Gulf.
Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis said all necessary steps had been completed to reopen the crossing, with investment in new infrastructure to be paid for by a sharp hike in duties.
