Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - President of Al Wehdat sports club , Tareq Khouri, said that his statements regarding Circassians in Jordan and 'national unity' were "misunderstood."

In a response to a statement issued on Monday by the Jordanian Circassian Tribal Council, Khouri told Ammon News that he stresses his regard and appreciation to the Circassians as a fundamental community of Jordanian social fabric, "I would like it to be known that my statements were misunderstood, and I did not mean to offend in any way our Circassian brothers."

"I am proud of Circassian history and their national, political, and cultural role in Jordan," adding that he was referring to overcoming the borders drawn up by the Sykes-Picot agreement and the divisions it caused between Arabs.

"Circassians have become part of the Arab and Jordanian body for centuries, and have come to share with us our dreams and hopes, and we do not distinguish between them and us, they are part of us," he added.

Khouri's comments came in response to a statement issued by the Circassian Jordanian Tribal Council on Monday which condemned Khouri's statement on a sports on Al Jazeera pan-Arab network last Friday, which it considered "an intention to stir division between the people of Jordan."

The Circassian Council considered Khouri's statement offensive and inciting of strife, referring to his comments on Al Jazeera in which he said "We are one nation, Jordanians and Palestinians, we are brothers. Talk of national unity is something to be said between Circassians and Arabs, Armenians and Arabs..."

The Council called on Khouri to "think carefully" before giving such statements, considering them offensive to national institutions and individuals, the statement added.

Khouri's participation in Al Jazeera's sports come in the backof violence that occurred last month following a football game between Al Faisali and Al Wehdat teams, which left scores injured in clashes between Gendarmerie forces and Al Wehdat team fans.