Jordan Times
Monday, May 25, 1998
Majali calls for Arab summit to pave way for pan-Arab peace strategy
ABU DHABI (Petra) — Prime Minister Abdul Salam Majali said an Arab
summit has become necessary to deal with the faltering Middle East peace process and
Israel's adamant position.
In an interview with the United Arab Emirates newspaper Al Bayan published today, the
prime minister said a mini-summit grouping Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and the
Palestinians could pave the way for an enlarged summit to help rebuild solidarity among
Arab countries and work out a pan-Arab strategy for peace.
Dr. Majali said Jordan maintains good relations with all Arab states and is continuing
consultations and coordination at the leadership, government and organisation levels.
On ties with Syria, the prime minister said His Majesty King Hussein and Syrian President
Hafez Assad are in constant contact. He added that Jordan keeps Syria and Iraq informed on
developments.
The Jordanian government is coordinating closely with the Palestinian National Authority,
particularly on matters related to their efforts to carry out the stages of the peace
process with Israel, he added.
Progress or success on any Arab-Israeli track without a corresponding solution with the
Palestinians can by no means lead to peace and security in the region, the prime minister
stated.
The Palestine question is the core issue of the whole Arab-Israeli conflict and therefore
there can be no peace without a solution acceptable to the Palestinian people and their
leadership, Dr. Majali said.
Israel, especially under the government of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, has lost
credibility as the U.S. and Europe have both realised that Arab countries and the
Palestinians are genuinely working to achieve peace, unlike the Israeli government, which
is seeking to sabotage agreements between Israel and Arab parties, according to the prime
minister.
He said the U.S. and Europe are exercising pressure to safeguard the interests of both the
Palestinians and the Israelis.
Referring to Iraq, Dr. Majali said the country's problems could be solved through a direct
U.S.-Iraq dialogue aimed at ending the sanctions.
King Hussein has discussed the question of a direct U.S.-Iraq dialogue with American
leaders, he said, noting that it was the King who persuaded the U.S. administration to
open a direct dialogue with the Palestinians at a time when the Palestine question had
been in limbo at the U.N.
Dr. Majali added that the U.S. administration did not reject the idea of dialogue with
Iraq and this, he said, is a good sign. He expressed hope that the proposed dialogue
between the two sides would begin as soon as possible in order to put an end to the Iraqi
people's sufferings.