Khaddam speaks on Syria-Jordan relations, need for summit
Syria-Regional, Politics, 6/2/1998

Syrian Vice-President Abdul Halim Khaddam said that the resolutions of the Arab summit held in Egypt in 1996 said that unless the Israeli government revised its electoral policy, the Arab states, particularly those which have relations with Israel, would reconsider these relations.

In an exclusive interview with the Middle East Television (MBC) televised last evening, the Syrian vice-president said the summit resolutions also provided that the Arabs will work for reimposing a boycott, which had been previously comprehensively maintained against Israel. Khaddam stressed that convening of an Arab summit requires preparation, defining the goals of the summit and making sure that all the Arab states abide by what is to be decided.

Replying to a question on the prospects for convening of an Arab summit and on the possibilities of convening such a summit, Khaddam said that the feelings of distress in the Arab area poses a question as to what to do next, and the answer is, "Why not convene a summit to discuss these conditions and to take the proper decisions?"

Khaddam said that if the distress resulted from the failure of the peace process and the intransigence of the Israeli government as well as its refusal to abide by UN resolutions and the peace process, there were resolutions which the Arab summit took in 1996 and which clearly included that if the Israeli government did not reconsider its policies, the Arab states would reconsider their relations with Israel and reinstate the comprehensive boycott of Israel.

Khaddam continued, "This matter (convening the Arab summit) is still under discussion, study and contacts because the summit should not be held for information reasons and should not be an information demonstration. Such a summit," he said, "should be devoted to real and serious work consolidating trust in this establishment and in Arab action as well."

Concerning reports on a possible Saudi mediation between Syria and Jordan, Khaddam said: " In fact, our brothers in Saudi Arabia, want as we do, to work for improving Arab relations. He stated, "There is no problem between the Syrian state and the Jordanian state, which means there are no problems between the two countries, no problems relating to borders or to other matters. There is difference in politics, in vision of the Arab-Israeli conflict and in the stand towards relations with Israel."

Khaddam concluded by saying: "When time comes and we see the Jordanian government has reconsidered such a policy in a way that serves Jordan first and the Arab nation, it is natural that this matter would be satisfactory for all of us."

Previous Stories:
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  Israeli flagrant disregard to international law continues in Syrian Golan   (5/26/1998)

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