|
Jordan Times FM warns against US isolationism after attacks By Suleiman Al Khalidi Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib said Jordan would be in the forefront of countries ready to unite in a global coalition to fight “terrorism.” “The attacks on American civilians were attacks on cherished human and religious values...and the American role in the Middle East,” Khatib told Reuters in an interview. “We hope America will not give the perpetrators the opportunity to achieve their aim,” he said. “The American role is under attack and the US should not succumb to pressures and we hope and believe it will not succumb.” The attackers' aim was to force Washington to retrench and take a backseat, a situation that would create a danger power vaccum that endanger regional stability, Khatib said. “This is a danger to the international community because of the leading role the United States can play on the international scene,” Khatib said. US Secretary of State Colin Powell contacted His Majesty King Abdullah among other leaders in a global effort involving not only NATO but Muslim states as well to fight “terrorism.” “Terrorism is an international phenomena and the international community should be unified in confronting it and combating it,” Khatib said, adding that Jordan was join in the drive against “terrorism”. Attacks more reason for US engagement Jordanian officials said it was understandable that Americans would now be preoccupied with the immediate aftermath of the shock of World Trade Centre and Pentagon suicide attacks. But Khatib said Washington's Arab allies hoped that US would not be dissuaded in the coming months by “terrorism” to forgo a key role seen as critical to attaining an comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace settlement. “The tragic attacks are more reason for a more active (US) role,” Khatib said. Jordan believes that Washington is the only power qualified to stop Arab-Israeli violence and that it must play a more assertive role before the conflict spins out of control. “The United States should increase its presence and show its determination to play a more active role in the region... The absence of active international diplomacy may lead to a vaccum,” Khatib said. Arabs were worried that US paralysis in the Middle East in the wake of the attacks would give Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a green light to further aggravate regional tensions, officials said. |