AMMAN —
Russia’s conflict in
Ukraine has put many countries in the difficult position
of expressing support for one of the parties without jeopardizing their
interests.
اضافة اعلان
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently issued a
statement outlining Jordan’s position, which calls for peaceful negotiations
rather than war, but some political analysts believe Jordan will eventually
have to take a clear stand on the conflict.
Strategic security expert Omar Raddad told
Jordan
News that Jordan has a strategic relationship with the US, and a “coordination
relationship” that does not reach the level of a strategic alliance with
Moscow; the latter was obvious in the many agreements, including the joint
administration of conflict areas in the Middle East, specifically Syria.
Raddad went on to say that Jordan, known for its
moderate policies, takes the position announced by Jordan’s foreign minister,
which calls for restraint and the need to begin peace talks between the
conflicting parties, Russia and Ukraine, and rejects the idea of achieving
goals through war, a position, Raddad said, to be expected, in view of the
balanced ties the Kingdom has with the two sides in conflict.
In terms of the economy, Jordan has important
economic ties with Russia;
Kyiv and Moscow are important suppliers of foodstuff
and other items, including reinforced steel, he added.
“Jordan understands its size, capacity, and
influence, so Jordan is not a pivotal country to present a position to support
one party over the other, and it cannot take more than the position it has
taken” which is to call for peace, Raddad said.
That, he added, does not rule out the possibility of
His Majesty
King Abdullah “playing a subsequent mediation role if he is
assigned by other international or regional bodies with the goal of bringing
the war to an end”.
“Jordan is currently in a critical situation,”
political analyst
Oraib Rantawi told
Jordan News, adding that Jordan is a
dependable and close ally of America, and that it is difficult for Jordan to
distance itself from America in the current state of international polarization.
Rantawi said that Jordan has a complex network of
interests with Russia, and has recently established close relations with it.
“This, in addition to Jordan’s complicated relations
with Syria,” which have been recently shaken by the intensification of terrorist
threats and the spread of drug trafficking along the country’s northern border.
Without Russian communication channels, Jordan will
struggle to overcome its difficulties with Syria, Rantawi said.
“Jordan is now like many other countries that, despite
being US allies, have developed significant relations with Russia in recent
years,” Rantawi said, adding that Jordan wants to remain neutral so as not to
enrage the
US or squander the opportunities afforded by its relationship with
Russia, as made clear by the Foreign Ministry’s statement, which was written in
a neutral tone and focused on international law rather than condemn a party to
the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Still, Rantawi believes that Jordan will face a
serious test when the US presents its Security Council resolution on the
Russian veto to the General Assembly.
“Because Jordan is a member of the General Assembly,
it must either vote for the US resolution and risk angering Russia, vote
against the resolution and risk angering America, or abstain, which does not
satisfy the Americans,” according to Rantawi who went on to say that Jordanian
diplomacy should make an effort to persuade the US of the gravity of any
Jordanian stance against Russia.
“Many of America’s allies have tried to present positions
and pleadings to exclude them from taking certain steps or actions that may
harm them, and I believe we can act diplomatically in the same vein,” Rantawi
said.
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