Jordan not to play any military role in Syria

Jordan will not play a military role in Syria and will continue its efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in its northern neighbour, according to a senior Jordanian official.

King Abdullah’s meeting with US President Barack Obama on Friday was part of efforts by Jordan to arrive at such a solution.

The kingdom does not condone efforts to resolve the conflict through military means.

Jordan is against “having US military boots on Syrian soil,” the unidentified official was quoted as saying by the Jordan Times.

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has threatened to drag Jordan into the conflict, accusing the kingdom of Allowing the transport of weapons to the Syrian rebel movement through Jordanian territory.

Amman rejects the charge and says Jordanian security forces are maintaining a tight vigil along its borders with Syria.

The official said that Jordan stands for starting a political dialogue at various levels, including a US-Russian understanding related to stopping bloodshed in Syria and moving towards a new political era that “would preserve the interests of all.”

“The Syrian crisis should not be allowed to turn into a cause for another Cold War, and should be a reason for all, including the Americans, the Europeans and the Russians to come together,” the official added.

“The US should show political leadership in the global arena, starting with the Syrian crisis, which is having a great impact on Jordan,” he added.

Jordan hosts around half-a-million Syrian refugees who constitute a great strain on the Kingdom’s limited resources, mainly water and energy, education and health.

UN officials expect the number of refugees to rise to over one million by the end of the year at the current rate of arrivals, to reach 20 per cent of Jordan’s population.

They also believe the number would rise to some two or three million if the conflict remains unresolved next year.

Jordanian officials have warned that hosting this number would be beyond Jordan’s capability, calling for efforts to stop the conflict, or create a safe haven for refugees inside Syria.

They also warn that the conflict might spread and impact on other countries of the region, affecting the security of all.