Jordan will not accept a Mideast solution compromising its interests –– Judeh

AMMAN — Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Monday stressed that Jordan is not absent from the peace negotiations and will not accept any solution that contradicts with the country’s interests and national security.

In an interview with Jordan Television’s Al Rai Al Thaleth (third opinion) talk show late Monday, Judeh said that US State Secretary John Kerry’s to Jordan on Sunday was to brief His Majesty King Abdullah on the latest developments related to the ongoing peace negotiations.

He noted that the parties concerned with the negotiations, including US officials, Palestinians and Israelis are keen to keep Jordan updated with any progress in the talks.

Re-asserting that Jordan will not negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians regarding their envisioned state’s borders with Israel, the minister stressed, however, that Jordan will be concerned about its borders and the state that it will share a borderline with.

He also stressed that any “security-related arrangement” in the Jordan Valley must take into consideration the country’s national security.

Judeh also reiterated that Jordan has been and will always be concerned with all final status issues, including the fate of Jerusalem, security, borders, water and refugees as they are directly and vitally related to the Kingdom’s higher national interests.

As for the fighting in Iraq, and the Al-Qaeda-linked group’s control on some towns there and its impact on the Kingdom, Judeh stressed that Jordan is “on alert” in the field and at the political level.

On the Syrian issue, the minister reiterated that Jordan supports a political solution for the crisis and will attend Geneva II conference on January 22.

“Our participation in Geneva II is part of our mandate as the current president of the UN Security Council and a neighbouring country that is affected by crisis, including the Syrian refugee burden we have undertaken,” he told JTV.

Judeh also noted that all Middle East-related issues that are also of interest to Jordan will be discussed at the Security Council during a meeting slated for January 20.