ammonnews.net

Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, Ayman Safadi, on Monday made extensive contacts and consultations with a number of Arab and foreign officials following reports that the U.S. administration may recognize Jerusalem as a capital of Israel.

Contacts made by the foreign minister since yesterday included phone calls with Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco, Nasser Bourita and Iraqi Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Jaafari.

The minister also discussed the issue with European Union (EU) High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Secretary-General of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen.

Safadi is also continuing intensive consultations with Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, Saeb Erekat and Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad Al-Maliki to coordinate positions on ways to deal with the repercussions of this serious decision if taken.

The Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom would call for two emergency meetings of the Arab League's ministerial council and the foreign ministers of the OIC member states if the decision was taken.

If taken, the ministry said, the decision would contradict all international resolutions and conventions which emphasize that the status of Jerusalem is decided in final status negotiations and consider all unilateral Israeli measures in the occupied city are null and void.

Yesterday, Safadi spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and stressed the need to preserve the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and not to take any decision aimed at changing this status.

He warned of any decision that threatens to push the region towards further tension and undermine peaceful efforts, in light Jerusalem's religious, historical and national status for the whole Arab and Muslim world.