Jordan Times
Sunday, October 7, 2001
US remains committed to resolving Mideast conflict, envoy stresses
By Caroline Faraj
AMMAN — US ambassador to Jordan Edward William Gnehm said despite US efforts to form an international coalition to combat terrorism, the US will not be distracted from its commitment to reaching a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.He said His Majesty King Abdullah made clear to President George W. Bush and other senior officials during his last trip to Washington that the Middle East problem needed America's attention and involvement. “King Abdullah explained that many people in the region feared if our focus shifted to the terrorist attacks, that would distract us from an issue which has been a major problem and would be more so if not attended to,” Gnehm told The Jordan Times last week.
The ambassador noted that President Bush's response to King Abdullah's concern was that “the current crisis would not distract us from perusing any and every possible way to get the parties back into discussion,” he added.
The ambassador, who from 1984-87 was deputy chief of mission in Amman, referred to the White House statement on Wednesday about the right of the Palestinians to a state, and said: “The statement is affirmation of what the president had said to His Majesty, that we are going to be engaged, and will stay engaged, because it is in our interest to be engaged.”
In his first interview with the local media since assuming his post on Sept. 10, Gnehm described King Abdullah's role as important, stressing that the US “respects him, seeks his advice and listens to his counsel.”
“King Abdullah is an important leader in this region and has a special relationship with our president and with all of our leaders,” said the ambassador. “Because of that relationship, he can convey to us the feelings of people in this region, because he has been in touch with all kinds of leaders in the region, hearing from them, of their concerns and feelings. I think others in the region appreciate the access he has with us,” he added.
The ambassador disclosed that he had presented to the Jordanian government documents proving Ben Laden's involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
“We have in the last few days taken the material that we have put together as a result of our investigation and after a fairly lengthy explanation of the inter-conductivity of individuals, of places and movements that makes it certain that Ben Laden, people linked to Al Qaeda, and those terrorists who are based in Afghanistan, are behind the Sept. 11 attacks.”
He also confirmed that the US had asked Jordan for other assistance in combating terrorism.
“We have asked Jordan, as well as lots of other countries, in this regard,” he said. “One of the things we have discussed is the implementation of UN resolutions, including the checking out of the financial systems to make sure that none of these groups that we suspect or individuals that we are investigating can utilise the Jordanian banking system and accounts to promote their terrorism.”
He also reaffirmed his country's plan to use several tools in the war against terrorism, pointing out that the military option is only one tool.
“We will be using economic weapons, sharing intelligence and information. We want to convince the public all over the world of the threat and of the need to take these kinds of actions to protect ourselves and our citizens from terror.”
The ambassador noted that during King Abdullah's meetings in Washington there was a “joint view of the problems, an agreement that one needed to act and work together. The discussion of how and when to do it, how we can help one another and how we can interest others, was all very positive, and outward-looking, forward-looking kind of conversation.”
Gnehm also said King Abdullah explained to US officials the feelings of the people in the region towards taking action against Iraq. “Generally the view was that we should not be taking action against Iraq unless there was evidence that Iraq was involved.”
“We understand what HM was saying to us,” the US ambassador said. “What we are saying is that our focus at this stage is on Ben Laden, Al Qaeda, Afghanistan and Taleban involvement and support to him. That's the focus.”
However, he reiterated his country's determination “to continue efforts to try to contain Saddam Hussein and to try to deal with Iraq under his leadership. By that I mean control it, and to make sure he does not become a threat or capable of using weapons of mass destruction. Because of our experience we believe he will be willing to intimidate Jordan or Saudi Arabia or Kuwait again or Syria, even the countries that have a positive relationship with him.”
Asked if there was any proof that Iraq was involved in the Sept. 11 attacks, the ambassador replied: “As you investigate leads and suspecs, that leads you into some very strange and unexpected places. Therefore, I'm not going to say Iraq has nothing to do with it because we are going to continue investigations and we have to see where they lead.”
Meanwhile, Gnehm expressed the US's understanding of all the difficulties that Jordan faces.
“We are partners, and Jordan is a friend, and just as we look to Jordan to help us in these kinds of times, I think we want to be helpful and supportive of Jordan when it faces difficult times,” said the ambassador.
“There are things that we and others can do to help the government with everything, from external debt to economic and military assistance,” the ambassador added.