by JT | Aug 24, 2013 | 22:52 JORDAN TIMES

AMMAN — Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat on Saturday said no agreement will be made with the Israeli side regarding the peace process without Jordan’s approval.

Erekat made his remarks during a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh on Saturday, during which he briefed the minister on progress made in the US-brokered talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

Stressing the Palestinian side’s commitment to keeping Jordan updated with any new development, Erekat said the Palestinian leadership would share with Amman every document they send to or receive from the Israeli side as part of the negotiations, which resumed after a three-year hiatus.

For his part, Judeh said that Jordan is a stakeholder in the peace process, emphasising that a fair solution to the conflict is a strategic interest to the country.

He underlined the Kingdom’s support for Palestinians and their efforts to establish an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In a joint press conference following the meeting, the minister underlined the centrality of the Palestinian issue, stressing that the root cause of regional violence and unrest is the inability to resolve the Middle East conflict.

He highlighted His Majesty King Abdullah’s efforts to push forward the peace process and support for the creation of a viable and contiguous Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil according to the two-state solution and the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

Judeh said Jordan has agreed with the Palestinian side to keep the channels of communication open.

King Abdullah last week met with US special envoy for the Mideast peace process Martin Indyk and reiterated that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, within pre-1967 line and with East Jerusalem as its capital, is part of Jordan’s higher strategic interests.

In early July, Erekat cited King Abdullah’s efforts in promoting the Palestinian cause and a peaceful solution to the conflict, saying that His Majesty is the only Arab leader who dedicates most of his time highlighting the need to end decades of Palestinian misery under the Israeli occupation.

“The King spends most of his time while on tours of foreign countries urging a solution to the Middle East conflict on the basis of international legitimacy. I think that in more than 80 per cent of his speeches and interviews, His Majesty highlights the Palestinian cause as the core issue and ending the struggle will bring about stability and peace in the region,” Erekat said during a meeting with a Jordanian media and research team tasked with conducting a study on Jordanian-Palestinian ties and the impact of the Israeli occupation on the lives of the Palestinian people.

SOURCE: http://jordantimes.com/palestinians-consult-with-jordan-over-each-step-in-peace-talks—-erekat

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