Jordan, Lebanon Vow to Strive for Just, Comprehensive Mideast Peace

Jordan and Lebanon on Wednesday voiced readiness to work together for a just, durable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

During a meeting between the prime ministers of Jordan and Lebanon, Ali Abu Ragheb and Rafik Hariri said that realization of peace would help guarantee restoration of the legitimate rights for the peoples in the region, Jordanian media reported.

Hariri arrived in the Jordanian capital earlier Wednesday for a two-day official visit.

The two prime ministers reaffirmed support for the Palestinian people, especially their efforts to restore the legitimate national rights, including the establishment of an independent state with Jerusalem as the capital.

Abu Ragheb reiterated Jordan's support for Lebanon to restore its sovereignty over the Shebaa Farms, which remain under Israeli occupation, and for Syria to recover the Golan Heights occupied by the Jewish state in the 1967 Middle East War.

Israel withdrew from south Lebanon last May, ending 22-year occupation. But Lebanon says that Israel is still occupying part of its territories, the Shebaa Farms. The Jewish state, however, insists that it captured the farms area from Syria in the 1967 war and that the issue be resolved in peace talks with Syria. Damascus supports Lebanon's position.

Abu Ragheb said that Jordan is closely following up economic and political developments in Lebanon and that it "takes pride in what has been achieved in Lebanon's reconstruction process and economic reforms."

He described his meeting with Hariri as "a move to promote constructive cooperation between both countries and reflect their keenness to further boost brotherly historic relations."

The private sector could "play a significant role in" promoting bilateral economic ties, Abu Ragheb said, stressing the need to " create an appropriate ambience" to expand trade and set up joint ventures between the two countries.

Jordan hoped that the Arab summit, due to held in Amman on March 27, will help the Arab countries coordinate stances on regional and international issues and promote inter-Arab trade, he added.

"We look forward to Lebanon's support for Jordanian economic proposals aimed at launching strong economic cooperation in face of the changing world and challenges of economic globalization," he said.

Hariri underlined that Lebanon is keen on reviving Arab joint actions in a bid to reach a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the region on the basis of the return of legitimate rights to the Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese.

"We follow a crystal clear policy toward peace, but we never bet on peace. We will pursue efforts to make peace stemming from our convictions," he said.

Lebanon adheres to the peace policy, Hariri said, calling on Israel to respect and implement the relevant United Nations resolutions on the Arab-Israeli conflict.






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