Security first

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi’s last week’s telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov “warning” against any deployment of hostile forces along Jordan’s northern border with Syria was timely.

Russia is the main architect of the Astana-brokered de-escalation zone idea and bears the principal responsibility for maintaining Syrian borders with neighbouring countries safe.

It is now clear that de-escalation does not mean an end to fighting, only a scaling down of the armed conflict, an interpretation supported by the continued fighting in Syria.

What Jordan is concerned about is the possible presence of religion-based fighting elements along its northern border, which would include forces belonging to either Daesh, Hizbollah or Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

Last week’s military escalation along Jordan’s northern border confirms Jordan’s fears that there are such hostile forces that harbour ill will towards it.

Jordan cannot afford to sit idle by until these factions perform acts of aggression against its territory and wreak havoc on its security.

The right to self-defence is basic, and Jordan cannot allow its security to be threatened by the deployment of enemy forces close to its borders.

Jordan is duty bound to preempt any possible act of aggression against it and not wait until it is too late to act.

Surely Moscow can appreciate Jordan’s concerns and will do what is expected of it to stop the movement of hostile forces close to the Kingdom’s border.

The idea of de-escalation zones is a positive development and Moscow takes credit for introducing it and standing by it. 

Yet, agreeing to and supporting the creation of such zones should not come at the expense of Jordan’s security.

As Safadi said, halting all military activities in Syria is the principal objective for Jordan.

There cannot be safe zones in some parts of Syria while war continues to rage in others.

Actually fighting continues to rage on in Syria, and this should be stopped.

Moscow bears the primary responsibility to rein in all fighting forces, including those allied with Damascus. If it does not, the continued break down of security in Syria would make a mockery of the limited safe zones idea and undermine it altogether.

Luckily, Jordan is strong enough to defend itself from all external threats.

All hostile forces would be well advised not to test Jordan’s resolve to defeat its enemies.