Jordan FM suggests still no decision on attending US-led peace workshop in Bahrain

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi suggests that Jordan has not decided whether to attend the US-led economic workshop in Bahrain in late June.

Safadi’s comments appear to contradict those of a senior White House official, who said on Tuesday that Amman informed the US administration that it would attend the conference.

“We did not announce an official position regarding the Bahrain workshop because we are exercising our right to evaluate, discuss and consult with our brothers and friends,” Safadi tells Al Mamlaka TV, a state-funded channel. “When we make a decision, we will announce it. If we participate, we would be participating to affirm our principles and clearly and confidently state our position…And if we do not participate, we would have made a decision based on our evaluation.”

Jordan, one of two Arab states that has signed a peace treaty with Israel, has long supported the two-state solution, including the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Safadi adds that the conference in Bahrain “is a workshop at the end of the day,” contending it “is not the beginning or the end of history.”

— Adam Rasgon

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