Jordan Times
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Moratinos meets Mulki, urges
world to seize 'momentum of peace'
Scheduled 5-way meeting in Damascus postponed — Mulki
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN — Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos on Tuesday urged the
international community, including the Palestinians and Israelis, to seize the
“new momentum for peace in the region.”
Moratinos told the press after talks with Foreign Minister Hani Mulki here that
Sharm El Sheikh summit's breakthrough in the deadlocked peace process should be
built upon. “We encourage all parties to really consolidate this new dynamic
momentum that gave hope and some possibility of peace to the region,” said
Moratinos, who also held talks with Prime Minister Faisal Fayez.
He added that the ultimate effort of Israelis and Palestinians are required at
such a point.
The two sides declared a ceasefire at the summit earlier this month.
“But we all know that without the support, engagement and encouragement of the
international community we will not be able to reach a final settlement,” he
added.
The Spanish minister, who was the European Union's special envoy to the peace
process, expressed hope Syria would return to peace negotiations with Israel
soon. Talks between Syria and the Jewish state were halted in 2000 following
sharp differences over the fate of the Golan Heights, which was occupied by
Israel in 1967.
Mulki, meanwhile, said a scheduled meeting of Palestine's neighbouring countries
in Damascus would be postponed due to the current regional circumstances and the
recent tension surrounding the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri.
Moratinos, who arrived in Amman Tuesday on a two-day visit, said he made a short
trip to Lebanon to offer his condolences.
Moratinos' regional trip, which took him to Syria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, was
also to prepare for the London conference in March on the reconstruction and
rehabilitation of the Palestinian Authority.
Mulki told reporters that Jordan and Spain agreed to form a permanent bilateral
committee to promote political, economic and cultural cooperation. The committee
would hold two annual meetings in Amman and Madrid.