Jordan Says Syrian Sanctions Must Respect Interests
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said on Saturday that any Arab League sanctions against Syria must be compatible with the interests of each member country.
"We support Arab unity in regards to the Syrian issue, but as I said during the Arab League ministerial meeting (on Thursday), the interests of our country must be taken into consideration," Judeh said in joint news conference with his Cypriot counterpart.
"Jordan has interests in Syria, our imports travel by land across Syrian territory," he said.
"That is why I have noted the necessity that resolutions be compatible with the interests of each country," he said, adding that Jordanian interests included imports, borders, water and the presence of students in Syria.
Arab ministers were gathered in Cairo on Saturday to draw up sanctions against Syria to punish President Bashar Assad's regime for defying an ultimatum to allow in observers and pressing a deadly crackdown.
The finance ministers were to thrash out a package -- expected to include the suspension of flights and freezing of government assets -- which will be put to Arab foreign ministers on Sunday.
Earlier on Saturday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, whose country has close economic ties with Syria and a large refugee community in its western neighbor, said it was "not possible" to impose sanctions on Assad's regime.
Source: Agence France Presse
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