Jordan king, Pope push for dialogue in Syria

His Majesty King Abdullah and Pope Francis met in the Vatican on Thursday and agreed that dialogue is the only means to end the Syrian conflict. King Abdullah, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Rania, also discussed enhancing Muslim-Christian relations and other regional developments, according to a Royal Court statement. The King reiterated Jordan’s position in support of a comprehensive political solution that ends the bloodshed and protects the unity and cohesion of Syria and its people. The Monarch and the pontiff “reaffirmed that the path of dialogue and negotiations among all components of Syrian society, with the backing of the international community, is the only option to end the conflict and the violence”, according to a Vatican statement carried by Agence France-Presse. Speaking privately in the Vatican’s apostolic palace, King Abdullah briefed Pope Francis on Jordan’s keenness to strengthen ties with the Vatican to enhance the values of tolerance and harmony among nations and achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, according to the Royal Court. The King told the Pope that enhancing the values of tolerance and coexistence among Muslims and Christians is an ongoing endeavour in Jordan, and that the Kingdom is constantly striving to boost dialogue and communication between followers of the two faiths. The Monarch noted that moderation, tolerance and coexistence are among the major pillars of the 2004 Amman Message that seeks to explain the true essence of Islam, the statement said. King Abdullah highlighted the outcomes of the recently held 16th General Conference of Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Amman, which called for interfaith dialogue and warned against the serious threats of sectarianism and ethnic divisions on the future of the Middle East. The King told the pontiff that Jordan will host a conference next week on the challenges facing Arab Christians and ways to address them so as to safeguard their pivotal role in the region, especially in Jerusalem, and their contributions to Arab Islamic civilisation. During the meeting, Mideast peace efforts were also discussed, with King Abdullah reiterating that Jordan will exert all efforts possible with the international community to support the recently restarted peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the statement added. Jordan seeks to remove all obstacles hindering the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace that arrives at a viable and independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital, the King told the Pope. The King also noted that Jordan, according to a March agreement signed with the Palestinian leadership reaffirming the status of His Majesty as the custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem, is exerting tremendous efforts to protect the Islamic and Christian sites in the holy city and preserve the city’s Arab identity. The Monarch also stressed the vital role of the Vatican in safeguarding Jerusalem’s identity from the Israeli attempts to Judaise its holy sites, expressing appreciation for the efforts of Christian leaders to serve the Palestinian cause and support the existence of the Arab Christians there, the statement said. For his part, Pope Francis expressed appreciation for Jordan’s efforts in achieving peace and stability in the Middle East and enhancing values of dialogue, tolerance and coexistence among followers of all faiths, the Royal Court statement said, noting that the Pope also congratulated the King on his ongoing democratic reform programme in the Kingdom. The meeting was attended by Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and King’s Office Director Imad Fakhoury. The King also met with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s secretary, and discussed with him cooperation between Jordan and the Vatican as well as issues of common interest, according to the Royal Court.   Source: The Jordan Times