Foreign ministers from America, Africa and Europe began converging on Jordan on Thursday for the annual meeting of the UN Human Security Network in Petra this weekend.
Canada's Foreign Minister John Manley, whose country, along with Norway, is a co-founder of the network, preceded his seven colleagues scheduled to take part in the Friday-Saturday informal conference, said the Jordan Times newspaper.
Switzerland's Joseph Deiss arrived on Thursday evening in Amman, whereas Austria's Benita Benita Ferrero-Waldner landed at Aqaba International Airport also on Thursday evening.
From the UN, a top delegation comprising UN Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette, UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Olara Otunnu, and UN Special Representative for Peacekeeping Operations Lahtar Ibrahimi was expected to take part in the meeting.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah Khatib was working on a tighter than usual schedule on Thursday, receiving his visiting counterparts.
Ways to push forward a Jordanian-Egyptian initiative to end eight months of bloodshed in Palestine, after Israel asked for substantial modifications to the document, figured high in Khatib's separate talks with the foreign ministers, said the paper.
Jordan said on Wednesday it “rejects any modification to the joint peace initiative," and expressed its displeasure with Israel’s stand regarding the plan, which has received wide support from Arab and European countries.
Khatib said the Petra conference was “yet another illustration of how countries that share values and ideas can work closely (together).”
Canada's Manley said the work of the Human Security Network testified to the success of like-minded countries in “raising the concept of security to one that [encompasses] individuals, rather than states alone.”
The conference, the third annual meeting of a network of 12 countries, to which South Africa participates as an observer, will deal mainly with three issues: children; human security and development; and peace support operations and human security, the Jordan Times added.
The event is largely expected to produce two “Petra Declarations:” A statement to the UN's first conference on the illicit trade of light weapons to be held in July, and a declaration to a special session of the UN General Assembly in September to be devoted to children's issues.
Jordan is the only Middle Eastern country in the Human Security Network, which calls itself a value-based and flexible coalition of states believing in the importance of shifting the diplomatic focus from the protection of states' rights and sovereignty, to people's freedom from want and fear.
Meanwhile, Manley on Friday officially announced the launch of the Human Security Network (HSN) web site, reported the official Jordanian news agency Petra.
Manley said the web site was one way to add new dimensions to the work being done by the 12 HSN member countries.
He said the web site was divided into two parts: one is open to all, and the other a private forum for discussions – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
