Jordan Times
Friday-Saturday, October 12-13, 2001
King: Peace is the sole guarantee for security
BERLIN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah has reaffirmed Jordan's firm stand against international terrorism which he described as the common enemy of Arabs, Islam and the West, an enemy which should be confronted within a framework that would also address the root causes of conflict and tension.Speaking at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder following their meeting in Berlin, the King called on the international community to move rapidly and effectively to put the peace process back on track and to find a just solution for the Palestine problem on the basis of UN resolutions and the agreements reached between the two sides.
For his part, Schroeder said the international effort to combat terrorism should not hinge on the military aspect but should involve political and diplomatic measures to stop the funding of terrorist operations.
During their meeting, the King and the German chancellor discussed ways to advance Jordanian-German economic relations which they described as proceeding in the right direction.
King Abdullah who concluded his official visit to Germany on Thursday, had also held talks with President Johannes Rau.
The King said he held intensive, open and constructive talks with Schroeder on a mechanism for further enhancing bilateral ties, the Middle East peace process and international efforts to combat terrorism.
At the press conference, King Abdullah told reporters that “terrorists and extremists want to divide the world along religious and cultural lines. They want a war of civilisations, and we should not, will not let them prevail.”
He said the international community must work together to foil the terrorists' objectives.
King Abdullah said: “We stand together against international terrorism which constitutes a danger to all nations.”
The war on terrorism is not one between the East and the West “but rather a war in defence of our common human values and a war to defend nations' rights to live in peace and security.”
King Abdullah was accompanied on the visit by the Chief of the Royal Court Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib and the Director of the General Intelligence Department and Director of the National Security Council General Saad Kheir.
“To combat terrorism, one must take into account that it is nourished by poverty and desperation,” the King said, adding that Jordan saw itself as a partner of Germany, the West and the rest of the world, standing together on the basis of common values.
“We should work together to change the circumstances of suffering and want and give nations a hope for a future void of fear and oppression,” King Abdullah said, stressing that extremists exploit people's suffering and despair in order to carry out their agendas and goals.
King Abdullah said a just and comprehensive peace is the sole guarantee for security and stability in the Middle East.
In an earlier meeting with German Foreign Minister Josckha Fischer, the King remarked that the Muslim community in Germany is part of the German society. European officials have taken an increasing role in the Mideast peace process in recent months, and Fischer has played a prominent part in efforts to stop the fighting between Israeli forces and the Palestinians.
In reply to a reporter's question, the King said the European Union made important economic contributions to the region, especially in the Palestinian territories and played an effective political role there. He said the EU and Germany are able to pursue that role “and we are confident of Europe's continued commitment to the establishment of peace.”
The King said there is unanimous agreement on the need to put the peace process back on track and to find a solution once and for all, especially in light of the Palestinian people's struggle during the now one-year-old Intifada.
Schroeder commended the King's constructive initiatives towards the peace process. He also expressed confidence in the Jordanian economy and called on German businessmen to invest in Jordan, noting that the economic and political situation in the Kingdom is favourable for investment.
King Abdullah voiced his satisfaction with the progress of Jordanian-German economic relations. He said there are wide prospects for cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries.
King Abdullah met at the Berlin Chamber of Commerce with businessmen from Germany's economic, tourism, banking, commercial and technology sectors. The meeting, attended by Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Commissioner Akel Biltaji, is a follow up to previous gathering the King had with the businessmen on his last visit to Germany when he discussed investment prospects in Jordan's industrial, water, tourism and infra-structure sectors.
The King referred to Jordan's efforts to improve its economic performance and set up an appropriate infra-structure for the private sector to play a more effective role in the national economy.
King Abdullah invited the German businessmen to visit Jordan next year to attend a conference on investment opportunities in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.