NEW YORK (Petra) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh on Friday stressed the importance of the draft resolution proposed to the UN General Assembly by His Majesty King Abdullah to set up an annual World Interfaith Harmony Week.
Addressing participants at the Annual Coordination Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Member States, held on the sidelines of the 65th UN General Assembly summit in New York, Judeh called on all OIC member states to support the resolution, which he said will highlight the shared human heritage of all world religions.
Judeh said the meeting comes at a time when the Muslim world faces several challenges, which require joint cooperation to face these challenges and serve the common interests of Muslim countries and peoples.
At the forefront of these challenges is the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, he said, highlighting the international and regional efforts being exerted to resolve it within one year.
He noted that all OIC member states should work to make sure that the direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations lead to the implementation of the two-state solution through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state according to the adopted terms of reference and the Arab Peace Initiative, with borders based on the 1967 lines and Jerusalem as its capital.
The minister reiterated the need for Israel to stop its unilateral measures in all occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in East Jerusalem, which include settlement activities, home demolitions, displacement of people and excavations near and under Islamic and Christian holy sites, which he said will hinder the success of the direct negotiations.
He added that Jordan will continue to exert its utmost efforts to protect the Islamic and Christian sanctuaries in Jerusalem, and called on the OIC to provide UNRWA with the needed financial support so that it can continue its role in supporting Palestinian refugees.
Also on Friday, Judeh participated in the ministerial meeting of the Friends of Yemen Group, which comes as a continuation of an international conference held in London last January.
Judeh reiterated Jordan’s support for the Yemeni people in maintaining security and stability in their country, calling on the international community to provide the Yemeni government with the needed economic support to improve the living conditions of its people.
Meanwhile, on Saturday Judeh met with UN envoy for Iraq, Ad Melkert and stressed Jordan’s support for Iraq’s stability and unity.
Also on the sidelines of the UN meeting, he met with foreign ministers of several countries including Hungary, Malaysia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Portugal, Mauritius, Norway and Lithuania and discussed regional and international issues.
Judeh also met with UNRWA Commissioner General Filippo Grandi, to whom he expressed Jordan’s appreciation for the services the agency provides for Palestinian refugees.
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