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AMMAN –– Cigarette prices went up by 100 fils per pack as of Tuesday under a government decision to raise taxes on tobacco and alcohol.

Alcoholic drinks will go up by 250 fils per litre, in accordance with the decision, which was approved by a Royal Decree and published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday.

“Any decision to raise the prices of tobacco products and alcohol is usually issued by a special bylaw that should be approved by a Royal Decree,” a government official told The Jordan Times.

The prices of tobacco flavoured with molasses also went up by JD1.2 per kilo.

According to the official, who preferred anonymity, taxes on cigarettes represent around 75 per cent of the value of the product.

In late 2012, several local tobacco manufacturers lowered the prices of cigarettes, a measure they said was aimed at competing with cigarettes smuggled into the Kingdom.

There are seven tobacco manufacturers in Jordan.

However, they cannot lower cigarette prices without the approval of the government.

The reduction in tobacco prices in 2012, which ranged between 20 per cent and 30 per cent, outraged the Health Ministry and public health advocates, who said lower prices would increase the prevalence of smoking in the country.

At the time, the Health Ministry said the decision to lower prices was against the country’s obligations under the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which Jordan adopted in 2006.

Official figures show that spending on smoking in Jordan is on the rise.

Total household spending on tobacco and cigarettes in the Kingdom reached JD480.7 million in 2010, compared with JD352.3 million in 2008, according to a Department of Statistics report.

A study on the prevalence of smoking in Jordan conducted in 2007 showed that approximately 29 per cent of Jordanians above the age of 18 are smokers, in addition to 14 per cent of children in the 13-15 age bracket, 23 per cent of whom smoke argileh.

Feras Hawari, director of the cancer control office at the King Hussein Cancer Centre, said last month that Jordan has the highest prevalence of smoking in the region.

He said that 5,000 cancer cases are diagnosed in the Kingdom annually, with 40 per cent of them resulting from smoking.

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday left for Mexico on an official visit upon an invitation by President Enrique Peña Nieto.

The King is scheduled to hold talks with the Mexican president and a number of high-ranking political and economic officials that will focus on means to boost bilateral cooperation, and touch on the latest regional and international developments.

The visit is aimed at establishing bilateral ties with Mexico and “wider Latin American countries” and positioning Jordan “as an investment and tourism destination and gateway for Latin Americans into the region”, according to an infographic posted on Twitter by the Royal Court (See King-Infograph).

The Monarch will also “promote the Jordanian perspective” on developments taking place in the Middle East.

From Mexico, King Abdullah will head to the US, where he will meet with several senior US officials in Washington, DC, concluding the visit with a summit meeting with US President Barack Obama in California.

Talks will focus on the historic friendship and partnership between Jordan and the US, and ways to advance bilateral ties in a way that boosts efforts by the two leaderships to promote peace, prosperity and stability throughout the Middle East, a Royal Court statement said.

The summit will also address opportunities to strengthen the US-Jordanian strategic partnership and means to advance political, economic and security cooperation.

Both leaders will also be consulting and coordinating stances on regional developments, especially the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and efforts exerted by US Secretary of State John Kerry in this regard, along with developments in Syria and the wider Middle East.

In addition to the summit meeting with President Obama, the King will meet in Washington, DC with key administration officials, US congressional leaders and committee members, as well as representatives of US Islamic and Jewish organisations.

The objectives of the US visit include building support within the US administration and Congress for “ongoing efforts to advance the peace process and reaffirm Jordanian higher interests in final status issues”, according to the infographic.

King Abdullah will also promote the Jordanian perspective on the developments in Syria and its wider regional implications, highlighting the burdens Jordan is shouldering as a result of the Syrian crisis.

Furthermore, discussions will cover ongoing efforts to finalise the assistance framework for US financial support to the Kingdom for 2015-2017, the Royal Court said.

The King will also promote Jordanian economic interests and investment opportunities at the various meetings he is scheduled to hold.

His Majesty was seen off by HRH Prince Raad, Chief Chamberlain, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and several senior military and civil officials.

Prince Raad was sworn in as Regent during the King’s absence.

AMMAN — Jordan is not being kept in the dark about developments in the US-brokered Palestinian-Israeli peace talks, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour told deputies on Tuesday.

Jordan is a key player in the efforts to ensure a fair agreement is reached, Ensour said, adding that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has provided assurances that the Kingdom will be kept apprised of the progress in the talks and any decisions that will be taken ahead of time.

At a Lower House session dedicated to discussing US Secretary of State John Kerry’s peace proposals, the premier said Jordan is waiting for feedback from the Palestinian negotiators over the negotiations on final status issues — such as Jerusalem, borders and the Palestinian refugees’ right to return — which are part of the Kingdom’s higher interests.

“Jordanians will not be taken by surprise,” Ensour stressed, adding: “We take the Palestinian commitment in this regard seriously.”

“There will be nothing kept away from you or secrets that would surprise you,” he told the MPs.

On the refugee issue, Ensour said it is “at the core of our interests to defend the rights of Jordanian citizens”, including those of Palestinian origin.

“We will not accept any disregard of their rights, particularly, the right to return and compensation,” he said.

When it comes to Jerusalem, Jordan does not recognise anything other than the 1967 border, Ensour stressed, noting that Jordan supports a two-state solution that ensures an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

No other option is acceptable, he said.

Jerusalem triggered a debate among the MPs, with some of them considering the Old City or East Jerusalem as the right description for the capital of the future Palestinian state, while others argued that Jerusalem is one city and cannot be divided.

Ensour stressed that there will be no foreign forces on the East Bank of the Jordan River, adding that no Jordanian soldier will be stationed in the West Bank.

“No Jordanian soldiers will cross the waters” between Jordan and the West Bank, the premier said.

The MPs on Tuesday accused the government of being vague and reluctant in informing the public of Kerry’s ongoing efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.

Some of the MPs who spoke during the session called on the government to resign if it is unable to face the rising pressure to make some concessions related to the country’s national interests.

Deputies Khamis Atiyeh (the Homeland list) and Abdul Jalil Zyoud (Amman, 6th District) submitted a proposal calling on the Lower House and the government to announce their refusal of what they described as “Kerry’s plan”.

The top US diplomat toured the region over the past few weeks trying to bring the Palestinians and the Israelis to a midway solution and to draft what he described as a “framework agreement” that would pave the way to resolve final status issues, including the Palestinian refugee issue.

The MPs’ remarks also came in response to Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh’s statement, in a previous session, in which he explained Jordan’s position on Kerry’s recent efforts.

Judeh told the lawmakers at the time that Jordan will not accept any solution to the Palestinian refugee issue without taking into consideration its national interests, including those of its citizens of Palestinian origin.

He said the Kingdom retains its right “to reject, accept or express reservation” over any solution that comes at the expense of its national rights.

However, he could not convince certain voices in the Lower House that Jordan’s rights are well-protected under Kerry’s plan.

During Tuesday’s session, former Lower House speaker Abdul Karim Dughmi said it is “dangerous” to talk about settling Palestinian refugees in Jordan and granting citizenship to the children of Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians.

“I agree with allowing them civil rights through issuing them a special card rather than temporary passports,” he said.

Jordan hosts the largest number of Palestinian refugees who fled or were forced to leave their lands after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, which ended in the creation of Israel.

MP Mustafa Shneikat (the People list) called on the government to reject any negotiations offered at this stage, describing the current regional situation as “not ideal” for finalising negotiations.

He charged that Kerry’s plan serves only the interests of Israel to obtain recognition from Arab countries as “a Jewish state”.