Jordan's King tells US defence secretary West Bank violence threatens stability
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Jordan's king Abdullah II discussed with Mr Austin concerns over the growing entrenchment of Iranian-backed militias in Syria.
PHOTO: REUTERS
AMMAN - Jordan’s King Abdullah told United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday that a surge in West Bank violence threatened regional stability and asked for assistance to fight a growing drug war along its borders with Syria blamed on Iranian-backed militias, Jordanian officials said.
Mr Austin arrived in Jordan at the start of a Middle East tour that will also take him to Israel and Egypt in a show of support for its main regional allies against the growing threat posed by Iran, US officials said.
He wrote on Twitter before his departure that he would meet key leaders and “reaffirm the US commitment to regional stability and advancing the shared interests of our allies and partners”.
The King, whose country hosted the first Israeli-Palestinian meeting in Aqaba last week with the participation of top US and Egyptian officials, said efforts must be accelerated to bring about a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace deal based on a two-state solution.
“There is a need for calm and to reduce escalation in Palestinian territories and stop any unilateral steps that undermine stability and abort chances of attaining peace,” said a palace statement after the talks between the King and Mr Austin.
In Israel, Mr Austin will also raise concerns about the violence in the West Bank that has alarmed Jordan and Arab leaders and discuss diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions ahead of Muslim and Jewish religious holidays, US officials said.
The US Defence Department said ahead of the visit that discussions would focus on the growing threat Iran poses to regional stability, and on advancing multilateral security cooperation with integrated air and missile defences.
Central to discussion will be the “full constellation of Iran-associated threats…”, a senior defence official was quoted as saying on the Pentagon’s official site ahead of the visit.
“Those threats include Iran’s arming, training and funding of violent proxy groups, aggression at sea, cyber threats, its ballistic missile programme and drone attacks,” he added.
The King discussed with Mr Austin Jordan’s concerns over the growing entrenchment of Iranian-backed militias in southern Syria whom officials say have stepped up drug-smuggling operations through its borders to reach markets in the Gulf, a Jordanian official told Reuters.
Amman wants more US military aid to bolster security on the border, where Washington has – since the more than decade-long conflict began – given around US$1 billion (S$1.34 billion) to establish border posts, Jordanian officials say.
Jordan has a roughly 375km-long border with Syria. REUTERS
