Manama- Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi on Saturday said that building a secure and stable future in the region requires addressing the root causes of tension, which were referred to by His Majesty King Abdullah II at the opening of the Manama security summit yesterday.

 

Addressing the forum organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) on stability and reconstruction, Safadi said that His Majesty delivered an "integrated vision" to build a peaceful, conflict-free future that provides opportunities for achievement and excellence, especially for young people."

 

His Majesty also presented a roadmap containing practical steps to move towards this future, based on finding political solutions to the conflicts of the region, foremost of which is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on the two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on June 4, 1967, borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

 

He added that a meeting he had with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and US Special Envoy to the International Coalition to Counter Terrorism, Brett McGurk, stressed that peace can be achieved by meeting the requirements of justice for Palestinians and their legitimate rights to freedom and statehood.

 

The minister said the Arab world had affirmed its commitment to peace in the Arab Peace Initiative, which offers comprehensive peace in return for Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories.

 

"Israel is in the Middle East, but being part of the region requires peace in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative and in full compliance with Palestinian rights," Safadi said.

 

On Syria, Safadi pointed to the failure of the approaches adopted over the years to the Syrian crisis in achieving a political solution, calling for new approaches that reflect the facts on the ground and protect the interests of Syrians.

 

He said that Syria has become the arena for the conflicts of others and that the new approaches must be based on the will to achieve the interests of Syria and the Syrians and realize a political solution accepted by its people to preserve the country's unity and territorial integrity.

 

He added that Jordan has provided all that it can to 1.4 million Syrians and that it continues to do so, stressing the need for the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in this regard.

 

On the sidelines of the forum, Safadi also met with Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Adel Al-Jubeir and Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments.