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Mon, Oct 18, 2010 | The Jordan Times | By Hani Hazaimeh | Crethi Plethi

Jordan's King Abdullah meets with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas in Amman yesterday. (Photo by Yousef Allan)

Jordan’s King Abdullah Meets Greek Foreign Minister

Jordan’s King Abdullah met with Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas on Sunday to discuss bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Middle East peace process.

King Abdullah stressed the importance of the EU countries’ support for efforts to overcome obstacles facing direct negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis, the Jordan Times reported on Monday.

The King also said that the resumption of the negotiations requires the cessation of all unilateral measures that threaten the peace talks, foremost of which is settlement building.

Also on Sunday, Prime Minster Samir Rifai held talks with Droutsas on the latest regional developments, especially those related to the peace process.

Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, at a joint press conference with Droutsas, said that the two sides discussed means to enhance bilateral ties as well as efforts being made to relaunch the peace talks.

“The whole world agrees that settlement construction activities in the Palestinian territories are illegal and [they] undermine all peace efforts. We held talks on the importance of creating a proper environment to relaunch the talks between the Palestinians and Israelis on the basis of a two-state solution and within a comprehensive framework that addresses the conflict in all its aspects,” Judeh said. [Read more; Jordan Times–Mon, Oct 18, 2010]

Jordan and Greece signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sunday to boost cooperation and maintain open channels of communication between their ministries of foreign affairs.

“This is an important step in further strengthening bilateral cooperation. I believe that this memorandum reflects the traditionally close ties between Greece and Jordan,” Droutsas said in an interview with The Jordan Times and Al Rai.

Droutsas also said that relations between Amman and Athens are based on very sound foundations, given the historical and cultural affinity between Greeks and Arabs throughout the course of history.

“We Greeks are proud to be able to say that we enjoy deep and longstanding relations of mutual respect and trust with the Arab world, relations that have been established throughout the years by deeds and not only words,” he said. [Read more; Jordan Times–Mon, Oct 18, 2010]

The remarks of the Greek foreign minister are given the historical context contradictory, because (Ottoman) Turkey and Greece have been adversaries for centuries. Greece was colonialized by the Ottoman Empire since the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. On the eve of the Ottoman conquest, much of the Greek intelligentsia migrated to Italy and other parts of Europe not under Ottoman rule. After the Greek War of Independence, successfully waged against the Ottoman Empire from 1821 to 1829, the nascent Greek state was finally recognized under the London Protocol in 1830.

Other issues discussed were Iran, Greece’s relations with Turkey, and the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Cyprus reunification talks, as well as efforts to resolve the dispute between Greece and Macedonia. The Greek foreign minister’s visit to the Kingdom is part of a regional tour that will also include the Palestinian territories, Egypt and Israel.

Since the diplomatic row between Turkey and Israel over the Gaza flotilla, Greece and Israel increased their cooperation on diplomatic and military levels.