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AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Saturday underlined the need for public awareness to deter parties “with special agendas” from harming the country.

He told community leaders and residents of a town in the eastern desert that the Kingdom is going through difficult circumstances that some might try to take advantage of to implement their plots, adding that all Jordanians are required to help overcome such challenges.

During the meeting with community leaders and notables from Manshiyat Bani Hassan District in Mafraq Governorate, Ensour stressed that justice, hard work and honesty are among the highly needed qualities from all nowadays to spare Jordan the impact of regional turbulence.

Ensour also attributed the country’s security and stability amidst the turbulent region to Jordan’s wise leadership and the awareness of its people.  

He also said that the government will be committed to rendering all its pledges to projects on the ground and live up people’s expectations from the executive authority.  

The premier also said that mistakes are in every country, including Jordan, where there are also achievements.

Ensour also pledged to eradicate corruption, saying that his government would firmly act on any corruption case.

The premier also donated JD10,000 to Manshiyat Bani Hassan Sports Club that is currently playing within the Jordan Professional League. 

Ensour was accompanied by a ministerial team as well as several MPs and senators.  

AMMAN — A book festival in downtown Amman attracted a “great audience” who sought to quench their thirst for reading and were encouraged by the low prices of books, organisers said Saturday.

Organised by the Greater Amman Municipality and Uzbakiyet Amman from Thursday to Saturday, at Hashemite Square and the Roman Theatre, the “Our Mother Amman, A City that Reads” festival attracted book lovers mainly from surrounding areas in downtown Amman, according to the supervisor of Uzbakiyet Amman, Hussein Yassein.

Yassein said 8,000 books were sold during the first two days, about 60 per cent of which were novels.

“This generation of readers reminds me of the 1980s generation, who loved reading more than anything,” he told The Jordan Times in an interview on Saturday.

Uzbakiyet Amman, a downtown bookshop, is named after the Uzbakiyyeh Wall in Cairo, where 132 bookshops are located.

“The opening ceremony was covered by local and international satellite channels such as Roya TV and BBC, while the official Jordan TV channel was absent,” Ghazi Theibeh, the media spokesperson of Uzbakiyet Amman, said.

Theibeh urged private and public institutions to support such festivals for their important role in promoting reading in the country, thanking Cairo Amman Bank and Safeir Press for supporting the three-day book fair.

The organisers mainly depended on volunteers in holding the festival, he said, adding that 15 volunteers participated in the fair, which consisted of 55 booths showcasing used and new books in English and Arabic covering a wide array of topics.

Nayef Qabain, one of the volunteers, said the fair encouraged some downtown residents to take up reading as a hobby.

“A young man came and told me that he doesn’t usually read and asked me to choose a book to encourage him to read,” Qabain told The Jordan Times.

According to Yassein, Uzbakiyet Amman held 35 book fairs in 2013 and has organised 20 fairs since the beginning of 2014. The 55 exhibitions attracted around 150,000 visitors.

Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji, who inaugurated the event on Thursday, paid an unannounced visit on the second day and discussed the possibility of organising similar fairs in different areas of Amman with Yassein.

Um Haytham, a visitor to the book fair, told The Jordan Times that the festival was a great way to “attract different age groups of readers through the variety of books available at affordable prices”.

“Readers nowadays are fewer than in the past due to technological progress that has diverted people from reading,” Um Haytham noted.

Mohammad Attal, another visitor, said he knew about the event through Uzbakiyyeh’s Facebook page, and would like to see more festivals organised at universities.

“People have more important things to care about than books due to the economic conditions these days, but this festival offered visitors an opportunity to buy books at low rates,” Attal added.

AMMAN — The government on Saturday said the natural gas supply from Egypt is still completely halted and Egyptian authorities are working on fixing the pipeline.

“We have no information on when the gas supply will be resumed,” Energy Minister Mohammad Hamed told The Jordan Times.

Egypt’s natural gas pipeline, which supplies Jordan, was bombed several times since the ouster of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in 2011. 

The latest attack on the Arab Gas Pipeline in El Arish was on January 28 this year, which marked the last time Jordan received gas from Egypt.

The minister said the gas cut costs Jordan about $3 million per day, with the country resorting to more expensive heavy fuel and diesel.

“We asked the Egyptian authorities to speed up repairs on the pipeline, as resuming gas supplies will significantly help reduce pressure on Jordan’s energy bill. We hope that will be done soon,” Hamed said.

Jordan, which annually imports about 97 per cent of its energy needs, is signatory to a deal with Egypt under which it is supposed to provide 250 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Meanwhile, the minister said a specialised committee is still studying the tariff proposed by Enefit, a joint Estonian-Malaysian consortium, to sell electricity from its 553-megawatt oil shale-fuelled power plant to the government.

“We expect to reply to the proposed price soon,” he said.

Once the government agrees on a price for buying electricity from the projected $2 billion power plant, a power purchase agreement will be signed, paving the way for starting work on the facility, which is expected to be operational in 2017.

AMMAN — Newly re-elected Jordan Press Association (JPA) President Tareq Momani on Saturday said he will intensify efforts to find solutions for the difficult financial conditions of newspapers. 

He pledged that the JPA will push for amending laws to further enhance press freedom, which witnessed a decline in 2013.

“The priority during the next tenure is to work hard to enhance the living conditions of journalists employed at newspapers, especially since print media is going through very difficult financial conditions, coupled with an increased reliance on online media,” Momani told The Jordan Times.

The JPA has plans to enhance the capabilities of its members, he said, adding that it will focus on training journalists on the latest trends in the profession.

The association will also work to amend laws regulating the media — such as the Press and Publications Law — to ensure that press freedom is safeguarded, Momani noted.

“Working on all fronts to remove obstacles against press freedom remains a top priority, and the syndicate will work with all stakeholders to address these obstacles.”

The Al Rai managing editor was officially announced JPA president on Friday after securing the majority of votes — 407 compared with 268 for his closest rival, Rakan Saaideh.

Nabil Ghzawi followed with 16 votes.

Turnout for the polls was high, with 713 out of 832 eligible members casting their ballots.

The association has 1,058 members. 

Ten journalists — Fakhri Abu Hamda, Mohammad Abbadi, Dhaher Damen, Awni Daoud, Fayez Abu Gaoud, Mwaffaq Kamal, Samar Haddadin, Ali Freihat, Hazem Khaldi and Walid Habahbeh — were elected as JPA council members. 

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani congratulated the new council members on their election, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In a phone call with the JPA president on Saturday, the minister conveyed Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour’s best wishes to the council and commended the association’s active role in developing the profession to make the press a key partner in supporting the reform process.

The government, he said, appreciates the association’s monitoring role and is keen on maintaining a relationship with journalists that is built on mutual respect and partnership, Petra reported. 

Later on Saturday Ensour also called the JPA president and congratulated him and the syndicate’s council members on their election.

AMMAN — Libyan authorities on Saturday, denied news reports that Fawaz Aitan — the kidnapped Jordanian envoy to Libya — was freed, stressing that there are no Jordanian troops in Libya to help free him.

Said Lassoued, the Libyan foreign ministry spokesperson, also dismissed as “baseless” Friday’s news reports that Mohamed Dersi, a Libyan who is serving a life prison sentence in Jordan, was sent back to Tripoli as part of a deal with the kidnappers to free Aitan.

“We do not have any information confirming these reports,” Lassoued told The Jordan Times over the phone. The spokesperson did not comment on the negotiations taking place between his country’s government and the kidnappers.

Aitan was kidnapped in Tripoli on April 15, and no “official” information has been released yet confirming the identity of the kidnappers or their demands.

However, Essam Baitelmel, a member of the Libyan team investigating the abduction was quoted by news reports as saying that kidnappers had demanded the release of Dersi. 

Dersi was convicted in an attempt to bomb Queen Alia International Airport in 2004, according to reports.

The Jordanian government stressed on several occasions that it is “working tirelessly” to secure Aitan’s release.

Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not confirm or deny knowing the identity of the kidnappers or their demands, it stated that any news about the issue will be announced based on developments in the situation.

“Any information related to Aitan’s case will be announced according to developments, and in a way that will not affect the current communications related to the case,” Sabah Rafie, the ministry’s spokesperson, said in a statement sent to The Jordan Times.

Rafie declined to comment on a statement made by Musa Abdullat, lawyer of the hard-line Jihadi Salafist movement in Jordan, who claimed that Dersi was sent back to Libya as part of a deal to free Aitan.

AMMAN — Jordan and the Netherlands see eye-to-eye on many regional and international matters, chief of which is the resolution of crises and conflicts through international law and institutions, according to Dutch Ambassador to Amman Paul van den IJssel.

Amman and Amsterdam share “identical” views on many regional and international matters, he told journalists at a recent meeting held on the occasion of “King’s Day”.

Van den IJssel also described the nature of festivities the Dutch people are organising during first national holiday under a king in a very long time.

“It’s a very special King’s Day because it is the first since 1890. It is the first time the Dutch are ruled by a man,” he said.

The event is in honour of the Netherlands’ newly installed monarch, King Willem Alexander, who assumed the throne last year as the first male monarch from the Netherlands’ ruling House of Orange. 

Marked on April 27, King’s Day replaces the traditional “Queen’s Day”.

“We celebrate ourselves and the country. We celebrate our liberty, freedoms and popular monarchy. During such a national holiday, the whole country literary turns orange, as it is the national colour of our royal family,” the ambassador said.

Noting that strong ties link the Jordanian and Dutch royal families, Van den IJssel said His Majesty King Abdullah was the guest of King Willem-Alexander while he was in The Hague in March to participate in the third Nuclear Security Summit.

He explained that his country, like Jordan, sees in the two-state solution the best approach to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

“Like Jordan, we support US Secretary of State John Kerry’s peace initiative and we hope it will work out,” he said.

The ambassador added that his country is helping the Palestinians stimulate their economy. 

“We want to help the Palestinians export their products through Aqaba Port to the world.”

Turning to Syria, Van den IJssel said his country calls for finding a political solution to the ongoing crisis, expressing his country’s appreciation of the Kingdom’s humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees and its understanding of the accompanying burdens.

“We are fully aware of Jordan’s woes resulting from hosting large numbers of Syrian refugees. Last year, the Netherlands extended 70 million euros to Jordan to help alleviate its burdens brought on by the refugee crisis,” he said.

The ambassador also commended the status of human rights, gender equality and religious freedoms in Jordan.

He described Jordanian-Dutch economic relations as “excellent”, but said more can be done to further them.

Jordan’s imports from the Netherlands amounted to 300 million euros last year, while the Kingdom’s exports to totalled 60 million euros in 2013, according to the envoy. 

“That is not a bad indication, as the Dutch economy is bigger than that of Jordan.”

Van den IJssel said his country’s involvement in Jordan is best seen in Aqaba, noting that many Dutch engineering, construction and consultancy companies are operating the southern port city.

“Located within a turbulent region, we see Jordan as a safe place for investments and as a hub to other markets in the Middle East.” 

AMMAN — Jordan on Saturday commemorated the life of Her Majesty Queen Zein Al Sharaf, the late Queen Mother, who passed away 20 years ago.

Royal family members, including Their Royal Highnesses Prince Feisal, Princess Basma and Prince Raad, visited the late Queen’s tomb to mark the 20th anniversary of her passing.

Queen Zein was born on August 2, 1916, the daughter of Sharif Jamil Bin Nasser, governor of Huran and nephew of Sharif Hussein Bin Ali of Mecca, and Wijdan Hanim, daughter of Shakir Pasha, governor of Cyprus.

In 1934, she married His Majesty King Talal Bin Abdullah, and together they had three sons, His Majesty the late King Hussein, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Mohammad and Prince Hassan, and one daughter, HRH Princess Basma.

Queen Zein was a highly respected, much loved figure in Jordan who represented strength, wisdom and courage throughout many years, challenging times and pivotal events in the country’s history.

A pioneer of the women’s movement, Queen Zein’s own leadership qualities, combined with her strong Islamic values, made her an example for Arab and Muslim women everywhere.

In 1944, she created the first women’s union in Jordan, and in 1948 she was instrumental in establishing the women’s branch of the Red Crescent Society.

She also led national humanitarian relief efforts for thousands of Palestinian refugees who came to Jordan following the war of 1948.

Queen Zein is widely acknowledged to have played an important role in the political development of the Kingdom in the 1950s, also contributing to the drafting of the 1952 Constitution that gave full rights to women.

She was committed to helping young orphans, establishing the Mabarrat Um Al Hussein Orphanage in Amman, which still bears her name, and to which she remained dedicated until the end of her life.

Over the years, Queen Zein’s steadfast commitment to her country and her relationship with its people earned her the title “Um al Urduneen” — “Mother of Jordanians”.

Her passing away on April 26, 1994 marked the closing of an important chapter in the history of Jordan, but her memory remains a source of pride, close to the nation’s heart.

AMMAN — Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Royal Court Chief Fayez Tarawneh met with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Luis Almagro to discuss bilateral ties. 

At the meeting, which covered several regional and international issues of mutual concern, Tarawneh underlined Jordan’s commitment to boosting cooperation between Jordan and South American countries at all levels, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

Tarawneh highlighted the Kingdom’s stances towards regional issues, particularly those relating to peace efforts between the Palestinians and the Israelis based on the two-state solution, as well as the Syrian crisis. 

The Royal Court chief also outlined the challenges Jordan now faces as a result of hosting a large number of Syrian refugees and the pressure this imposes on its already scarce resources. 

For his part, Almagro stressed his country’s keenness to develop cooperation with the Kingdom. 

Also on Thursday, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh met with his Uruguayan counterpart to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East. 

In addition, talks covered the possibility of benefiting from Uruguay’s experience in the field of renewable energy, especially since 50 per cent of its energy derives from renewable resources. 

The two sides agreed to increase the trade volume, establish mutual benefits from investment opportunities available in both countries and promote Jordan as a destination for medical and religious tourism in the South American country, according to Petra.

AMMAN — The Cabinet, in a session held on Thursday and headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour, discussed ways to translate the Royal letter instructing the government to develop a clear future vision for the Jordanian economy in the next 10 years. 

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Ibrahim Saif provided the Cabinet with a preliminary vision to work on the
March 14 letter according to a comprehensive framework that reinforces the country’s financial and monetary positions, improves the national economy’s competitiveness and promotes values of productivity and self-reliance. 

His Majesty told the government in the letter that this difficult economic situation has led to an increase in the deficit and debt over the past few years. The implications of these difficult economic conditions have left their mark on the standard of living our citizens enjoy, he said. 

The King said in the letter to the government that the number one priority and foremost challenge citizens face is how to improve their living conditions and to secure better jobs that provide them and their families with a decent living, and hope for a better future. 

“These are concerns that I witnessed first-hand during my ongoing field visits. Price hikes and financial pressures our citizens face today are the hard realities we need to address. Accordingly, the state — in all its institutions — must provide socio-economic solutions and programmes to alleviate these burdens.” 

AMMAN — Interior Minister Hussein Majali briefed a Cabinet session, headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour Thursday, on the riots Maan Governorate has witnessed after recent gun assaults on Gendarmerie officers.

These officers were on duty guarding a court in Maan, 220km south of Amman, when they were shot by people with criminal records, the minister was quoted as saying by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

 Majali said the assailants deliberately obstructed transferring an injured Gendarmerie officer to Maan Public Hospital. Moreover, they tried to halt transferring an officer in a critical condition to hospital by a medical helicopter, leading to clashes that resulted in the injury of five Gendarmerie personnel, one in a critical condition.

He added that on Tuesday night, suspects opened fire at a Gendarmerie Force from a building and a vehicle of some wanted persons while the force was searching for suspects in the court case.

Gendarmerie personnel had to fire back, which resulted in the death of one person.

The death of the young man, reportedly an innocent passer-by, triggered wider riots, with Maan figures accusing authorities of using excessive force in the campaign.

Rioters attacked public and private facilities including three banks, income tax offices and two schools, according to Majali.

Attacks also included throwing burning bottles on security forces who were trying to restore order in the city, which is inhabited by 50,000 people, and arrest the suspects.

Earlier on Thursday, Majali held two meetings with security leaders in Maan to examine the situation, Petra reported.

Attendees of the meeting stressed that “the security operation in Maan will continue, targeting a limited number of outlaws and wanted individuals”, in addition to those proven to be involved in assaults on gendarmes, riots, vandalism and “terrorising citizens”.

Majali stressed that there is “no security campaign in Maan”, but rather measures to arrest a number of outlaws and restore security in the restive city.

The Interior Ministry, he added, is in contact with residents and tribal leaders of Maan to cooperate with them to complete their mission.

“The state and its security apparatuses are capable of enforcing their authority and restoring law and order by bringing an end to any attempts to disturb the peace and threaten the security of citizens,” Majali told the Cabinet.

Any measures that are taken will only be aimed at arresting those behind the unrest and referring them to court for “justice to take its course”, Majali stressed.