'WikiLeaks revelations reflect consistency of Jordan's policies'

By Hani Hazaimeh

AMMAN - Documents pertaining to Jordan released by WikiLeaks on Sunday do not contradict the Kingdom's stated positions on regional issues and reflect only the opinions of US officials, a statement issued by the government on Monday said.

"Jordan's policy on regional issues, which the documents referred to, is clear and has been reiterated publicly by His Majesty King Abdullah in his meetings with US and international officials. This declared policy has been restated by several government officials who alone represent the official positions of Jordan," the statement quoted a government official as saying.

The unnamed official said Jordan has always called for a peaceful diplomatic resolution to the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, and the need to have a Middle East zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, provided that all countries in the region abide by the relevant international laws and conventions in that regard.

The official highlighted "Jordan's consistent position, which has been stressed by the King on multiple occasions, stating the Kingdom's rejection of any military action against Iran, and warning of the disastrous results of such an act on regional security and stability".

"Jordan has always stressed the importance of having relations among nations based on mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of the other, which will ensure good neighborly relations prevail in accordance with these principles," the official said.

With regards to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the official said Jordan's position has and will always remain that the conflict should be resolved on the basis of a two-state solution that ensures the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state as part of a comprehensive regional peace.

"These stances and positions are reiterated and made clear in all meetings between Jordanian officials and Americans or any other international officials. Everything indicated or interpreted by the American officials and mentioned in the documents reflect their personal readings and analysis," the statement concluded.

The whistle-blowing organization Wiki-Leaks on Sunday began publishing more than 250,000 US State Department documents on its website and through reports in selected newspapers in the US and Europe.

The documents, which contain confidential correspondence between Washington and US missions around the world, shed unusually bright light on US foreign policy strategy and its communications with the governments of other countries.

Included among the leaked material is alleged correspondence between US Ambassador to Jordan Robert. Beecroft and the State Department in Washington regarding meetings with senior Jordanian officials, as well as those of other US officials visiting the Kingdom.

In a cable sent in April 2009, the leaked document says, Beecroft confirmed the Kingdom’s opposition to US military action against Iran.

“Jordan’s leaders believe such engagement would reward regional hardliners while undermining Arab moderates - without convincing Iran to cease its support for terrorism, end its nuclear program or drop its hegemonic aspirations,” Beecroft was quoted as saying.

“Jordanian officials argue that the best way to counter Iran’s ambitions is to weaken the salience of its radicalism on the Arab street by fulfilling the promise of a ‘two-state solution’, resolving other Arab-Israeli disputes, and making sure that Iraq’s political and security institutions are not overwhelmed by Iranian influence when the US drawdown is complete,” the document continued.

The US government has strongly condemned the publication of the documents by WikiLeaks, and the US embassy in Amman declined to comment on their content.

“As a matter of policy, the Department of State does not comment on allegedly leaked documents,” embassy spokesman Karl Duckworth told The Jordan Times yesterday.

“The disclosure by WikiLeaks of classified information is an irresponsible attempt to wreak havoc and destabilize global security. It potentially jeopardizes lives and we condemn it,” he added.

Shortly before the documents were published on Sunday, the White House press secretary said in a statement made available to The Jordan Times that the release of the documents was “reckless” and put US diplomatic and intelligence staff at risk.

The UK Foreign Office also condemned the unauthorized leak.

Leaks of classified material “can damage national security, are not in the national interest and, as the US has said, may put lives at risk. We have a very strong relationship with the US government. That will continue”, said the statement, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times by the UK embassy in Jordan.

30 November 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=32211.