Jordan Times
Monday, November 2, 1998
Regent urges cooperation to ensure implementation of peace agreements
AMMAN (J.T.) — His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hassan, the Regent, has reaffirmed the need for all parties to the Middle East peace process to cooperate for the successful implementation of agreements reached between the different sides.
In an interview with Israel Channel 2 Television station, Prince Hassan said that His Majesty King Hussein has always called for cooperation among all parties for the achievement of peace.
Asked to comment on the elapse of three years now after the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the Regent said : “I believe that His Majesty King Hussein had believed that Rabin was a man of vision and courage and sincerity who helped build bridges across the psychological divide. I would say yes I do miss him.”
The Regent said: “I think that Muslims and Jews recognise that what brought us together in civilisation over centuries was more than is dividing us in this century. I think the ability to politically overcome `conventional wisdom' was a common factor between the two sides and I think that in terms of security, the issue of the moment, they were able to see that what is important is not to retain a hill here or a hill there.”
In reply to a question on the cause of disappointment among Jordanians about the peace treaty, the Regent said: “It is not a reflection of rejection of peace, it is a feeling that some of the stated goals had not been achieved as well as the hopes in terms of the opening of trade with Israel and the Palestinian territories.
“I would like to point out that there have been billions of dollars in trade between Palestinians and Israelis under successive Israeli governments and this has excluded Jordan's trade.”
But there have been achievements over four years, he said. He gave as an example the question of water.
“We have been able to resolve that issue,” he said.
Asked if the Misha'al affair has damaged Israeli-Jordanian relations, Prince Hassan said: “Yes, it did. I would go back and say what is important is not to let incidental crises here and there (damage peace). What is important is to recognise that we have to continue to bring down the (wall of) fear of peace.”
Asked whether the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, has presence in Jordan, the Regent said: “There are no headquarters, arms, instructions being issued or secret camps. This is very clear. We stand on the land along all the opponents of terror. But, of course there are extreme organisations in the Jewish world or the Arab World and the Islamic World so long as there is no promise of progress to peace. They will continue to exploit the situation.”
Asked if he considers Netanyahu a man of peace after signing the Wye River agreement, Prince Hassan said: “We have to judge Wye on its own merits and we have to accept that there is a man who is a prime minister of Israel and who has been decisive in accepting the fact that there is a new dynamic today. We have to give Wye a chance.”
Asked to comment on an incident in which an Israeli settler was killed in the West Bank, he said. “The implementation of the Wye River agreement has not yet started but of course the tragic loss of life is again what (prompted) King Hussein to say enough for destruction.
“Once again, either we accept that there is no attempt to contain the course of death and destruction or we accept that the peace process is at least a positive attempt to contain the recurrence of the same,” the Regent said.
Asked if the Wye agreement was a piece of paper, Prince Hassan said: “It is important to bear in mind the need for implementing the agreement which is not an end by itself — it is an Oslo-Clinton with the full support of the U.S.”
On the King's health condition, the Regent said he thanks all the Israelis who sent messages of warm feelings. This has done a great deal to back all those in developing a community not of states but of people.
He said the bulletin issued last week from Mayo Clinic about the King's health was extremely encouraging. “I hope we can continue conveying him good news,” the Crown Prince said.