Palestinian PM talks with king on Jordan's role after pullout
AFP, Amman
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei held talks here yesterday with Jordan's King Abdullah II on security measures for the Gaza Strip after a planned Israeli withdrawal, a palace official said. Qorei "asked for Jordan's help in the training of the Palestinian security forces", he told AFP. The king replied that Jordan was prepared to help train Palestinian police and security services "in line with an official request of the Palestinian Authority", said the official, asking not to be named. King Abdullah and Qorei also reaffirmed a Gaza pullout should take place under the framework of the roadmap peace plan, which the king said he would continue to support on the international scene, the palace official said. A Palestinian diplomat said their talks covered Egypt's efforts to help avoid a power vacuum after Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza and evacuation of Jewish settlements in the northern West Bank. According to the diplomat, Atallah Khairy, around "5,000 Palestinian policemen and security forces staff" have already received training in Jordan since the 1994 launch of Palestinian autonomy. A group is currently in the kingdom for a training course, he said. "There are regular courses being conducted in Jordan," as part of cooperation schemes between the two parties."
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Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (L), Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei (C), and Egyptian Intelligence Services Chief Omar Suleiman (R) talk to the press Wednesday at Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Suleiman, President Hosni Mubarak's pointman on the Middle East, discussed with Arafat Cairo's role in the planned Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip, ahead of a meeting with Israeli officials. PHOTO: AFP |
