Jordan Times
Monday, June 20, 2005
Rice says Jordan's security vital to US
AMMAN (Agencies) — US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice on Sunday said here Washington will oppose any regional
development that might endanger Jordanian interests.
“My government views Jordan's security, prosperity and territorial integrity as
vital,” Agence France-Presse quoted Rice as telling a joint press conference
with Foreign Minister Farouq Qasrawi before meeting with His Majesty King
Abdullah.
“We will oppose any development in the region that might endanger your
interests.”
Rice, who arrived yesterday in Amman from talks in Israel and the Palestinian
territories, praised Jordan's reform as a “model” for the region, particularly
the National Agenda.
“We're very much supportive of Jordan's economic and political reform,” she
said, according to the Associated Press. She pointed to statements by US
President George W. Bush, saying he “quite often cites Jordanian political
reform.”
“We believe... the political reforms can serve as a model for what can be done
in the region.”
The agenda of political and socio-economic reform plans for the next 10 years —
expected to be drafted in September — “will strengthen grassroot democracy here
in Jordan,” Rice said.
Her talks with King Abdullah focused on Middle East issues and bilateral ties,
the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
Reiterating the importance of the US role in the region, King Abdullah told the
secretary of state that her tour shows that Washington was concerned about
establishing peace in the Middle East by encouraging the Palestinians and
Israelis to resume negotiations.
Both sides agreed that Palestinian Authority should be financially supported to
help President Mahmoud Abbas run Palestinian affairs.
The Monarch and Rice, meanwhile, saw eye-to-eye on the need to preserve Iraq's
unity and thwart attempts to destabilise the country.
Their talks also included bilateral relations and means to improve them as well
as US assistance to Jordan's development plans.
“We have no better friend than Jordan, a good friend, a strategic partner in the
shared vision of peace and stability and increasingly a shared vision of reform
in this region,” she said.
“We value [our] friendship with the Jordanian people,” she added, praising the
Kingdom as a “strategic partner” in the fight against terrorism.
Qasrawi told reporters that he discussed with Rice the impact of hiking oil
prices on Jordan's economy, hoping that the US would consider this fact when
aiding the Kingdom.
Rice is to leave today for Egypt and Saudi Arabia.