PM: Jordan will never Accept New Palestinian Refugees

Published July 9th, 2000 - 03:00 GMT

Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb on Sunday said Jordan will "firmly" refuse accepting any new Palestinian refugees in the kingdom, home to 1.4 million refugees, in his policy statement to parliament.

"Jordan's position is firm and rejects any new wave of Palestinian immigrants under any pretext," Abu Ragheb said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

"We have communicated this position to all concerned parties," he said in a clear reference to Palestinian and Israeli leaders who will have to address the refugee issue as part of final status talks.

Abu Ragheb, who formed his new government on June 19th, also reiterated Jordan's intention to seek "compensation for having welcomed on its soil" some 1.4 million Palestinian refugees in two waves since Israel's creation in 1948.

He furthermore insisted that Palestinian refugees were considered full citizens in Jordan, where most of them hold Jordanian nationality, and also had the right "to compensation or to return to their homeland".

"Whatever their choice it will not affect their right as Jordanian citizens," Abu Ragheb said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat meet Tuesday in a summit with US President Bill Clinton outside Washington to thrash out agreement on several issues such as refugees and Jerusalem -- AMMAN (AFP)