Jordan’s King Abdullah flew into India hours after receiving US President George Bush and Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki in Amman.
NEW DELHI: Hours after receiving US President George Bush and Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki in Amman for a crucial meeting on how to deal with the civil war in Iraq, Jordan’s youthful King Abdullah flew into India on an official visit.
Though his engagements with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is slated for Friday, the King delivered a major speech in the capital two hours after he landed.
Though the talk was on India-Jordan relations, Abdullah also spoke at length on the situation in the region and said unless a just solution of the Palestinian problem was found, West Asia would continue to be a region of instability.
King Abdullah, who’s family is directly descended from the Prophet Mohammed, is a close ally of the US. He spoke out passionately for more tolerance in today’s world. He said Islam was a religion of tolerance, and the true believers must respect both Muslims and non-Muslims. Unless people respected each other conflicts would cut into peoples lives, keeping them poor and illiterate.
“The core conflict in our region continues to be fuelled by the denial of Palestinian rights and sovereignty. The ongoing crisis is the cause of immense suffering and violence. And today it is contributing to as deepening regional instability. Violence and conflict have become the norms for the region,” Abdullah said.
He said, “We must reverse this dangerous trend. We must rebuild confidence in peace. This is the Arab Peace initiative. It calls for the creation of a viable, soverign Palestinian state which will allow for comprehensive regional peace, including full normal relations and security guarantees between all Arab states and Israel.”
He said all this could be achieved with the support of the Arab countries, the Quartet of major powers and leading nations like India.
“Success will have global benefits, closing one door of opportunity to extremists,” the King said. On Iraq he believes that need of the hour is international co-operation — to stabilise the country, engage all communities in the political process and rebuild a sovereign, unified and stable Iraq.”
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