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Posted by Lynette
6/9/2002 (3:31) |
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Abul Ragheb says Jordan keen on political solution to Mideast conflict
AMMAN (JT) — Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb has said that His Majesty King Abdullah's vision for a political solution to the Middle East conflict was well received by the US administration.
In an interview with the MBC satellite channel, aired on Friday, the premier said the proposed international peace conference is based on principles adopted by the 1991 Madrid peace conference, international resolutions relevant to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Arab peace initiative endorsed in March by the Beirut Arab summit.
In the interview, conducted by MBC's Amman correspondent Saad Silawi, Abul Ragheb said a series of visits this year to Washington by Arab leaders, including the one by King Abdullah last month, resulted in more active involvement by the US in the Mideast crisis. He said evidence of that involvement was that Washington sent Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East William Burns and CIA Chief George Tenet to the region to work on the security and the political aspects of the issue.
Abul Ragheb told the station that Jordan supports the reforms under way in the Palestinian territories, adding that his recent visit to Ramallah, where he met with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, was aimed at expressing this supportive stand, learn about the developments there and to brief Arafat on the results of the King's visit to the US. He stressed that the visit was not aimed at imposing any conditions on the Palestinian leadership.
The premier added that Jordan might take part in the process of the Palestinian reforms by offering training and experts among other forms of assistance.
Regarding Jordanian-Israeli ties, Abul Ragheb stressed that Jordan and Israel mutually respect the peace agreement they have signed, and that the Kingdom is employing its relation with Israel to channel aid to the Palestinian people. However, he said that Jordan condemns the Israeli practices in the Palestinian territories and the destructive approach it has applied in the recent attacks against the Palestinians.
The premier reiterated Jordan's rejection of allegations made by the leader of the Damascus-based Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, Ahmad Jibril, who accused Jordan's security services of involvement in the assassination of his son, Mohammad Jihad, in Beirut last month.
Asked abut the future of the Ministry of Information in Jordan, Abul Ragheb reiterated that it will be replaced by the Higher Media Council after all relevant legislation is prepared, because these laws will be the tools used by the regulatory body to function.
Sunday, June 9, 2002
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