Jordan Times
Sunday, April 3, 2005
Mulki says Israel to release prisoners
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN — Foreign Minister Hani Mulki on Saturday said Israel was expected to
release Jordanian prisoners held on political and security charges by the end of
this week.
Mulki and other Foreign Ministry officials said
the release of the prisoners was “in its final stages,” noting that Israeli
authorities, namely the justice ministry, “approved it.”
He said the government did not spare any effort to secure the release of around
25 prisoners, some of whom were held before the 1994 peace treaty with Israel.
“We are still working on the release of the prisoners. It's one of our top
priorities and we will not stop until we release all of them,” Mulki told The
Jordan Times.
An Israeli justice ministry recommendation on the prisoners was expected to be
presented to the Israeli Cabinet.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Rajab Sukayri said around 14 prisoners were
expected to be released.
Some observers and officials saw the expected release as an Israeli “goodwill
gesture” after Jordan reinstated its envoy to Tel Aviv.
They said the move would pave the way for the repeatedly postponed visit of
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom to the Kingdom.
Mulki to visit Lebanon, Syria
Meanwhile, Mulki confirmed that he plans to visit Beirut and Damascus after the
Lebanese elections, expected in May, to follow up on decisions made during the
Arab summit in Algeria.
“Syria and Lebanon are main concerned parties with the decisions made at the
summit, especially on the Arab Peace Initiative. We will meet and come up with a
plan on how to activate the initiative,” Mulki said. He did not elaborate.
Sources said the Kingdom plans a “diplomatic campaign” in the region to address
the Palestinian and Iraqi issues, as well as the results of the Arab summit.
Also on Saturday, Mulki held talks with UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen in Amman
during a 40-minute stop, in which he sought Jordan's backing for his trip to
Damascus and Beirut, The Associated Press reported.
Larsen said dialogue — and not pressure — with the Syrian and Lebanese sides
will help in getting the two countries untangled.
“I am now proceeding to Damascus and Beirut on a difficult mission to discuss
deeds which are difficult for everybody concerned,” Larsen, on a regional tour,
told reporters in Amman after arriving from Egypt.