Negotiations are the only option for putting an end to the conflict in Syria: Jordan’s King Abdullah II

YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS: Dialogue and negotiations are “the only option for putting an end to the conflict and violence” in Syria, said Pope Francis and Jordan’s King Abdullah II, reports “Armenpress” making a reference on catholicherald.co.uk.

As Western leaders expressed strong convictions that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack against its own citizens and vowed to take action, Pope Francis met King Abdullah and Queen Rania at the Vatican.

Jordan borders Syria and hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who have fled the fighting that began in March 2011 in an attempt to oust President Bashar Assad.

The king and queen’s meeting with Pope Francis was arranged hastily after tensions grew in the Middle East over the reported atrocities in Syria and the unrest in Egypt, with the Pontiff breaking off from his holiday to host the visit.

In a statement issued after the meeting, the Vatican said that the Pope and king “reaffirmed that the path of dialogue and negotiation is the only option for putting an end to the conflict and violence that each day cause the loss of many human lives, especially among the unarmed population.”

Pope Francis, with an interpreter, spent 20 minutes speaking alone with King Abdullah and Queen Rania before meeting the seven members of the Jordanian delegation. The king and three aides then held a working meeting with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states.

Archbishop Maroun Lahham, patriarchal vicar for Jordan in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, told Vatican Radio the meeting of Pope Francis and King Abdullah was an opportunity for both of them to discuss ways to encourage peace in Syria “in the midst of all these threats we are hearing. With what is happening, Jordan – although it is a small country – can play an important role for peace in Syria”.

Archbishop Lahham said it would be difficult to find anyone in the Middle East who would believe that the United States and members of the European Union would use military force to defend the weak.

“No one believes that,” he said. “Everyone looks after their own political and economic interests.”