Licensing Muslim Brotherhood purely ‘organisational’ move — PM

AMMAN — The armed forces are in firm control of the Kingdom’s borders, and the General Intelligence Department has the professionalism and efficiency required to safeguard the country’s security, according to Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour.

In a wide-ranging interview with Al Arabiya satellite channel broadcast on Friday, Ensour said Jordan exchanges intelligence with countries such as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco to maintain security.

In response to questions about the Muslim Brotherhood, the premier said the “old” Brotherhood was licensed in 1946 as a charity affiliated with the mother group in Egypt, but after amendments to several laws it lost the licensed status and did not rectify it. 

Therefore, a group from the “unlicensed” movement registered a “new” Muslim Brotherhood a few months ago under Jordanian law, he said, noting that the government took its time in granting the licence to enable the entire movement to rectify its status, but members of the “old” group did not take action. 

The licensed group, he said, is not affiliated with any foreign extensions whether in Egypt or the rest of world and it does not receive foreign funding.

The premier dismissed claims that the government took this step against Hamas or other Muslim Brotherhood groups in Egypt and elsewhere, noting that the move is “purely organisational”.

Syria and Iraq

Ensour said Jordanians and Syrians are one and the same, with around 1.5 million Syrians currently living among Jordanians.

“They are our brothers and neighbours and we are one people,” he noted.

Turning to the effect of the Syrian refugee influx, the premier said it annually costs Jordan $3 billion.

The foreign aid received so far, covers 40 per cent of the cost, and the rest is paid from the Kingdom’s budget, he said, noting that the 2014 budget deficit reached $2.6 billion.

Ensour said Jordan has no plans of military intervention in southern Syria, stressing that the Kingdom will continue allowing humanitarian assistance to go through to Daraa and Suwaida.

Jordan supports the unity of Iraq and Syria, and rejects any division, he highlighted, adding that the Kingdom will not arm Iraqi tribes without the consent of the Iraqi government.

Gulf states and Iran

Ensour also said that there is no discord in the relations between Jordan and Saudi Arabia, emphasising the deeply rooted ties the two countries share. 

He added that the attack on Kuwait was part of the sectarian war in the region, as many young people are misled, executing the plans of the nation’s enemies and following their agendas.

Turning to Iran’s role in the region, Ensour urged Tehran not to exploit success in negotiations to work against its “brothers”, calling on the country not to aid those seeking to spread sectarian division.

Iran, he said, has the choice to either be a sectarian extremist country that is hostile to its neighbours, or be a responsible neighbour.

“Iran is not an enemy, and it can become the best of friends if it chooses to,” the premier said.