Jordan wants US to lead Mideast peace efforts despite Arab revolts

May 3, 2011, 15:59 GMT

Amman - Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Tuesday urged Washington to resume its leading role in the Arab-Israeli peace process despite the ongoing Arab uprisings in the region.

During talks with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, Judeh said the United States should put 'pressure' on Israel to stop its unilateral actions, the foreign ministry said.

That meant in particular the building of settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank which had prompted the Palestinian Authority to break off direct talks with the Jewish state at the end of September.

'The minister underscored the importance of the US role in pushing forward the peace process, pointing out that the current events in the Arab world should not prevent us from re-launching the direct talks between the Palestinian and Israeli sides,' according to a ministry statement.

The Jordanian minister said that the resumed negotiations should address the most important issues - Jerusalem, frontiers, security, water and refugees - in the run-up for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the two-state vision.

Earlier in the day, Feltman met with King Abdullah II who updated the US official on steps taken by Jordan to carry out political reforms in response to three months of protests inspired by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

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