Ammon News - From Wael Al-Jaraysheh / Ammon News Arabic

AMMONNEWS - Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh on Sunday reiterated that the Syrian Ambassador to Jordan has repeatedly offended Jordan in the past months "but also in the past few years as well."

The Minister stressed that the Jordanian government's stance towards the offensive remarks are directed at Ambassador Bahjat Suleiman himself, adding that Jordan's position towards the ongoing conflict in Syria remains steady, calling for a political solution in the neighboring country.

Syria's envoy to Jordan Bahjat Suleiman had made numerous remarks in the past weeks that were deemed "offensive" and "unacceptable," including his criticism of Jordan's request to deploy US-made patriot missile batteries at its borders with Syria.

In response to requests from Members of Parliament to "contain the incident," Judeh stressed that Suleiman is not an "equal" to the Jordanian government for MPs to ask for "containment."

Judeh applauded the MPs remarks, noting that the parliament's stance "indicates the shared concern to confront anyone who attempts to offend the nation and its institutions."

The Jordanian government on Thursday had threatened the Syrian Ambassador of taking diplomatic measures to consider him "persona non-grata" over recent offensive remarks he made in posts on social networking sites and in press statements in criticism of Jordan.

Judeh said on Thursday that the Suleiman "exceeded all diplomatic norms and practices" in his actions and remarks against Jordan, the country hosting over half a million Syrian refugees who fled the ongoing conflict in the neighboring country.

Members of the Arab and Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committee, including pro-Syrian regime MPs, unanimously agreed on Sunday to request an official apology from the Ambassador, who most recently exchanged offensive remarks with members of parliament, including MP Bassam Manaseer, who heads the ad-hoc committee.

"The Foreign Ministry's statement [last Thursday] came after repeated offenses against Jordan, the [Jordanian] people do not accept such offenses," Judeh said before parliament on Sunday.

Judeh noted that the Ambassador's offensive remarks have been repeated in the past months, but also in the past years, noting that the Ministry has a "full record" in this regard.

MPs on Sunday considered Suleiman's remarks as a "threat to Jordan," particularly after he remarked about Jordan's deployment of Patriot missile batteries on the borders by responding that Syria has in its military capabilities the Russian-made Iskander missiles.

MP Manaseer called on the Foreign Ministry to give the Syrian envoy a "final warning," obtain an official apology over his remarks, and "deal with him through diplomatic channels."

MP Myassar Sardiyah noted Judeh's emphasis that Jordan has no intention to "escalate tensions" with Syria, and criticized attempts to strife between the two nations.

While several MPs stressed the need to contain the incident and consider Jordan's interests in not escalating tensions with Syria, other MPs considered the Syrian Ambassador's actions as a violation of diplomatic norms and called for his expulsion from Amman.

"In [Jordan,] we do not have oil or silver.. our pockets are empty, and we do not own but our dignity," MP Mahmoud Mheidat said in his call for expelling the Ambassador and considering him a "persona non-grata."