You are here

Jordan to announce position on Bahrain conference ‘confidently’ when it so chooses

FM says Jordan will assert steadfast stance on Palestine if it decides to take part

By JT - Jun 14,2019 - Last updated at Jun 14,2019

AMMAN — Jordan's decision on the upcoming US-led Bahrain conference will be announced “clearly and confidently” based on its steadfast and well-known position, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said on Thursday.

In an interview with Al Mamlakah Television on Thursday, Safadi said that "Jordan has not officially announced its position towards the Bahrain conference yet”. 

“We have the right to assess, consult and discuss the issue with our friends and brothers, and when we take the decision, we will announce it clearly," he stressed.

Jordanian foreign policy is based on clear constants, which have been reiterated by His Majesty King Abdullah “in a way that is not open for interpretation”, he said, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Reiterating Jordan’s steadfast position, Safadi said that there is no alternative for the two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, stressing that the Kingdom’s stance is internationally supported.

Commenting on the US-led Manama conference, which is intended to unveil the economic component of a new US peace plan to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the top diplomat said that “in the event we decide to participate, we will attend to express our stance with confidence. We will listen to what is proposed, and if it is in line with our positions we will acknowledge it, if not, we will reject it”.

He added that His Majesty has reiterated that “no solution can be adopted at the expense of the Kingdom, and Jordan is capable of defending itself”.

There is a sole Arab stance towards the Palestinian cause, reaffirmed by the recent emergency Arab summit in Mecca, based on the two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative, the foreign minister stressed.

He also highlighted the Jordanian-Palestinian continuous coordination, noting the two countries’ “shared goals”.

Safadi stressed that Jordan has the sole authority to choose the timing for announcing its decision regarding the conference, noting that the timing of the declaration is “part of managing this file”.

Answering a question on the so-called “deal of the century”, Safadi stressed that the Kingdom does not know what the US will propose in its plan, noting the US says it will put forward the proposal when it is completed.

Jordan wants a comprehensive peace that fulfils the Palestinians’ legitimate rights to freedom and statehood, he said, stressing that no economic solution can resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the solution can only be political.

On the recent Jordanian meetings held recently in Europe, the Foreign Minister said that these gatherings fall within the extensive diplomacy led by His Majesty to serve the interests of the Kingdom and address regional issues, to which the Palestinian cause is central.

During the interview, Safadi also touched on the attacks on oil tankers in Oman, condemning the “dangerous escalation” and stressing that the Gulf states’ security is the base of international security and stability, calling on defusing tension.

up
48 users have voted.


Newsletter

Get top stories and blog posts emailed to you each day.

PDF