Jordan Times
Tuesday, November 10, 1998
Regent warns of perils of retreating from peace for political considerations
AMMAN (J.T.) — His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hassan, the Regent, Monday emphasised the need for total commitment to building a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East region and serious efforts to attain that goal.
The Regent warned that any retreat from the priority of attaining peace for the sake of other considerations in the region is bound to create an atmosphere of despair that can generate violence threatening the whole region and its peoples.
During a meeting at the Royal Court with Israeli Labour Party leader Ehud Barak, the Regent stressed that the peace process should not be held hostage to political considerations.
Barak's visit, his second since July l4, comes one day after Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu indefinitely postponed a cabinet debate on the ratification of the Wye River memorandum following last Friday's bomb attack in Jerusalem.
At yesterday's meeting Barak, who was accompanied by Knesset Labour members Eitan Kabel and Yossi Katz, emphasised his party's commitment to the peace process noting that Labour has supported the Wye Plantation accord at the Knesset.
Barak said 85 per cent of the Israeli public support the accord and that there can be no justification for the Israeli government not to ratify it.
Barak expressed appreciation of His Majesty King Hussein's contribution to the success of the accord between the Israelis and the Palestinians which was signed at the White House.
Prince Hassan noted that King Hussein's participation in the Wye Plantation talks sent an important message that the peoples of the Middle East region can no more tolerate further tension and irresponsible acts and that they demand peace based on justice and respect of all parties rights.
The meeting was attended by Chief of the Royal Court Jawad Anani, Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib and Jordan's Ambassador to the U.S. Marwan Muasher.
Information Minister Nasser Judeh told reporters that Barak's visit is part of the continued dialogue between the government of Jordan and the body politic in Israel out of concern for national Arab interests.
Judeh said that Jordan will be exerting all efforts to help the two parties to implement the agreement.
Later Barak left for home via the King Hussein Bridge.