Jordan Times
Monday, July 19, 2004
'Qureia's resignation would be blow to peace process'
AMMAN, July 19 (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah
on Sunday warned that Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia's decision to
resign would be a blow to the peace process.
“If Abu Alaa [Qureia] gives up on Monday, as is a possibility, then this will be
a serious blow to all of us that are trying to push the process forward, and I
think will reflect very negatively on President Arafat himself,” King Abdullah
said on CNN's “Late Edition.” The King warned that the resignation would “only
weaken the institution, at a time where we really need to be able to move on
security,” a step, he said, was necessary for the roadmap to peace “to move
forward.” “If the prime minister, as part of what we hope is the new institution
of government in the Palestinian society, has handed in his resignation, then
we're running out of candidates,” King Abdullah said.
In Amman, Minister of State and Government Spokesperson Asma Khader said Jordan
was concerned after a spate of kidnappings in Gaza Strip provoked a crisis in
the Palestinian leadership.
“Jordan is monitoring with concern developments in the Gaza Strip,” Khader said.