Jordan Times
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Khatib calls for more effort
to achieve genuine progress
LISBON (Petra) - Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib on Tuesday called for more
effort to achieve genuine progress in the peace process, leading to a just and
permanent solution to the Palestinian issue within a specific time frame.
In remarks at 9th Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Foreign Ministers, which
concluded in the Portuguese capital Lisbon today, Khatib said the Annapolis
international peace meeting in the United States later this year provides a real
opportunity to achieve progress in the peace process.
The meeting should tackle final status issues between the Palestinians and
Israelis to achieve peace, he added.
“Neither Israel, nor the Middle East will enjoy security if the Palestinians do
not regain their national rights through the establishment of an independent and
viable Palestinian state on lands occupied since 1967 including East Jerusalem,”
he said.
Khatib urged Israel to show its seriousness about peace by immediately halting
settlement and excavation work.
He said there was an immediate need to revive the Palestinian economy, establish
projects and create job opportunities and also called for enabling Palestinian
National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian government to
rebuild national institutions.
Commending Jordanian-European relations, Khatib called for promoting these ties
and enhancing economic and investment cooperation between the Kingdom and EU
countries.
The foreign minister highlighted the important role of the EU in the Middle East
peace process and called for further European efforts to achieve a just and
comprehensive peace.
Earlier, Khatib held bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of a number
of EU countries, during which he discussed bilateral ties, the Middle East peace
process and the situation in Iraq.
Participants at the two-day meeting discussed the Middle East peace process and
ways of enhancing the Barcelona process to achieve more cooperation in
political, economic, social and cultural fields.