Damascus regrets Abdullah statement; al-Fayez telephone call with Otri improved the atmospheres

A Syrian media source considered that the telephone call made by the Jordanian prime minister Faisal al-Fayez on Tuesday with his Syrian peer Naji Otari had improved the atmosphere of Jordanian- Syrian relations, that came under tension following accusations started by the Jordanian press and the Syrian paper's replies to it.

The source, which asked to be anonymous, said that the telephone call was "step to get out of the tunnel of accusations, reciprocated between the two sides," noting that the telephone call showed that "the Jordanians are not intending to escalate the situation with Syria."

The source also stressed that the answer of the Syrian media is also not aiming to defame Jordan, rather to explain certain positions so as to prevent a wrong reading of reality, and of what is taking place in the region, and avoid provocation." The source expressed regret to what the Jordanian King said in statements to the US CNN in that " the Syrians have to control their borders with Iraq." The source considered that the words of King Abdullah as stated regarding the reality of its content and the correction made on it later, was in the context of accusations addressed against Syria and pressures made on it;" a matter that needed to be dealt with.

On its evaluation of the current Jordanian- Syrian relations, the source expressed fears that " the Israeli element will be strong in damaging relations between the two countries," especially as he said " that this element is strongly present on other axes like Arab- American relations."

However, the Jordanian prime minister on Tuesday telephoned the Syrian prime minister and the Jordanian news agency said that the two sides discussed " means of strengthening relations between the two sides." N.