Jordan Times
Friday, September 24, 2004
Settlement of refugees should
not be permanent Fayez
AMMAN (Petra) Prime Minister Faisal Fayez said on Thursday that the
government's endeavours to improve the economic and living conditions of the
Palestinian refugee camps should not be regarded as a move towards the
settlement of refugees in Jordan.
We stand with all firmness against the settlement of refugees in Jordan, said
the prime minister at a meeting with representatives of the 13 refugee camps in
Jordan.
The camps are part of our dear homeland and in terms of services we do not
differentiate between the camps and any other town or village because we
consider the Kingdom a homeland for all, stressed Fayez.
His Majesty King Abdullah is exerting all efforts to ensure that social justice
will prevail and be enjoyed by all Jordanian communities, said Fayez at the
meeting attended by a number of ministers and Abdul Karim Abul Heija, the
director of the Palestinian Affairs Department.
As part of improving the conditions in the camps, Fayez said the government
would set up a bank to provide loans to poor students enabling them to pursue
university education.
At the outset of the meeting, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation
Bassem Awadallah presented a briefing on the government's plans to improve
conditions in the camps under the government-sponsored social security package
programme for all regions, noting that JD125 million has been spent under the
plan which was initiated in 1998. Awadallah said that JD30 million has so far
been spent in the camps alone.
The programme includes infrastructure projects such as water and sewerage
services, roads and electricity, Awadallah said.
According to the minister, sewerage projects and wastewater treatment plants
will be initiated in the Jerash, Sukhneh and Talbieh refugee camps soon.
He also added that agreements have been concluded with local contractors to
build homes for 200 poor camp families at a cost of JD750,000.
Referring to King Abdullah's efforts at the international level, the prime
minister pointed out that the King has reaffirmed Jordan's position regarding
the Palestine problem during meetings with the US administration where he
reiterated Jordan's demand for a settlement and Israel's withdrawal to the 1967
borders, the establishment of a viable Palestinian state and the refugees right
to compensation and return to their homeland.
Fayez also reiterated Jordan's stand vis-a-vis the separation barrier describing
it as posing a grave danger to Jordan's national security.