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Ammon News - Petra-Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Arab League Secretary General Nabil El Araby, and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr on Saturday discussed the latest developments with regard to the Palestinian question, the peace process and efforts to resolve the conflict.

El Araby and Amr met with Judeh in Amman before heading to Ramallah later in the day to congratulate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the UN’s vote in favour of upgrading Palestine’s status to non-member observer state and to hold consultations on the future of the Palestinian cause.

Speaking to the press following the meeting, Judeh said he had briefed the Arab League chief and his Egyptian counterpart on the outcome of His Majesty King Abdullah’s recent visit to Ramallah, during which he emphasised Jordan’s strong support for the Palestinian people.

“We addressed the difficulties and challenges that we are facing… and ways to overcome these obstacles and hindrances to go back to direct negotiations that guarantee the establishment of a viable and congruent Palestinian state on Palestinian soil, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Judeh said while giving an overview of Saturday’s meeting.

“Our discussions today have significance because we plan to discuss the Palestinian question, from its very roots, and why UN Resolution 242 has not been implemented since 1967,” he said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution adopted in the aftermath of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war calling for Israel to withdraw from territories it occupied in that war in exchange for peace with its neighbours.

Judeh explained that the resolution has been implemented for Egypt and Jordan through their peace treaties with Israel, and for Syria with the disengagement agreement it signed with Israel in May 1974.

“Now, we have to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli issue from its roots because the goal is to work to end the Israeli occupation by all means,” he stated.

Judeh said he also briefed the visiting officials on the goals and outcome of his Monday visit to Jerusalem and Bethlehem and his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, stressing the need to support the Palestinian Authority (PA), especially after the recent UN vote

There is also a need for consultations after the meeting of the Arab peace initiative committee earlier this month, he added.

Amr said he was carrying a message of support from the Egyptian people and leadership to the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, stressing Egypt’s support for the Palestinians in their struggle to regain their legitimate rights.

“Also, I carry a message of support from Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi to the Palestinian president,” he said.

During their visit, the delegates will also look into the possibility of arranging a group visit of Arab foreign ministers to Ramallah.

Also on Saturday, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Government Spokesperson Samih Maaytah dismissed recent news reports quoting PA officials as saying that they were studying the possibility of establishing a confederation with Jordan, albeit only after the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders.

Maaytah said Jordan remained committed to resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of establishing a viable and independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories.

“This has been and will always remain our top priority as far as the Palestinian cause is concerned. Talk about a possible confederation between the Kingdom and the West Bank has no grounds as there is no such option on our agenda,” the minister said, denying that Jordan had ever discussed a confederation with a projected Palestinian state.

“Our position is clear. We will not accept any settlement to the Palestinian cause at the expense of the Kingdom or our national identity,” he stressed, adding that claims of a confederation plan “were initiated and amplified by the Israeli media for the purpose of elections and we are aware of the Israeli propaganda machine”.

He said the government was coordinating with the PA in particular and other Arab countries in order to ensure that Palestinian rights are fully secured within a comprehensive resolution that settles all outstanding issues, including Jerusalem and the issue of refugees.