Jordan Times
Sunday, March 5, 2006
Jordan to continue spreading
Amman Message
CAIRO (Petra) — Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib told his Arab counterparts on
Saturday that Jordan would continue spreading the Amman Message to clarify the
true picture of Islam.
“For its part, Jordan continued delivering Amman
Message, which highlights the true image of tolerant Islam to international
public opinion and the world's religious, cultural and media circles,” Khatib
said in his speech at the Foreign Ministers Council's 125th session at the Arab
League headquarters in Cairo. Renewing condemnation of the cartoons published by
a Danish newspaper vilifying the Prophet Mohammad, Khatib stressed that Jordan
rejects “any attempts to give wrong impression about our religion through
committing violent acts or preaching extremist views that harm the name of Islam
and the image of our nation in the world.”
The foreign minister was referring to violent protests that included acts of
vandalism against diplomatic missions and public properties in certain parts of
the Islamic world.
In his address, Khatib covered issues of concern to the Arab world, focusing on
the Palestinian question, the situation in Iraq and joint Arab action.
On the developments in the Palestinian arena and the recent electoral victory of
Hamas, Khatib said the Arabs should respect the choice of the Palestinian
people, while looking forward to the emergence of a Palestinian government that
realises the aspirations of the Palestinians.
He renewed a call for sustaining assistance to the Palestinian people to help
them survive the harsh economic conditions.
Khatib also commented on suspicious attempts to sow the seeds of sectarian
sedition in Iraq, including attacks on revered religious shrines. He said the
Arab nation should stand by the Iraqis at this critical juncture and take an
active part in the June national accord conference in Baghdad.
Khatib also urged Arab countries to proceed with plans to establish a
transitional Arab parliament as a tool to realise the envisaged democratic
change in the Arab world.
“We are full of hope to see the moment when Arab citizens will have the
opportunity to elect their representatives in this parliament.”