Jordan defends secret visit to Amman by Israeli official

Jan 5, 2011, 17:13 GMT

Amman - Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Wednesday told the lower house of parliament that last week's secret visit to Amman by Israeli national security chief Uzi Arad had the aim of exploring the prospects for peace.

'We do hold unpublicised talks with Israeli, Palestinian and US officials as part of the Jordanian diplomatic drive to get updated on what is going on between the parties concerned in the peace process,' Judeh said, answering a question about the purpose of Arad's visit.

Judeh referred to the faltering US-brokered direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians, who broke off the negotiations at the end of September after the Israeli government failed to extend a moratorium on the building of settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Arad's December 27 visit was earlier blasted by a coalition of Jordanian opposition parties and trade unions, which urged the government to stop all contacts with Israel.

Judeh also came under attack on Wednesday from deputies for referring to the Ministry of Agriculture an Israeli offer for sending Jordanian employees to receive training in Israel.

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