Jordan: We Won’t be ’Launchpad’ for Any Syria Strikes

Local Editor

Jordan will not be a "launch-pad" for military intervention in Syria, a senior government official said Tuesday, as Western and some Arab army chiefs wrapped up a meeting on the conflict.

"Jordan's position has not changed. Jordanian territories will not be used as launch-pad for any military action against Damascus," the official stated on condition of anonymity.

Amman has repeatedly called for political solution in Syria.

The official's remarks came on the second and final day of a meeting of senior military officers to discuss the regional impact of the war in Syria.
"The outcome of this meeting on developments in Syria is not expected to be announced to the media because of the nature of the meeting," the official said, without elaborating.

Meanwhile, the state-run Petra news agency has quoted a military spokesman as saying the meeting comes at the invitation of Jordan's army chief of staff Meshaal Mohamed al-Zaban and General Lloyd Austin, head of Centcom, the US command responsible for 20 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia.

US army chief General Martin Dempsey was to take part, along with chiefs of staff from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Canada.
"Again, the meeting has been scheduled for months. Similar meetings were held before in London and Doha," the government official said.

For his part, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said on Sunday the meeting "will discuss the situation and scenarios on the ground, especially after the recent dangerous developments. The army chiefs have to have comprehensive talks and examine the impact on the region."

A drumbeat toward western threats against Damascus seemed to be getting louder as the United States and its allies mulled military action.
The Washington Post cited senior administration officials as saying President Barack Obama was weighing limited military strikes on targets in Syria.

Source: News agencies, Edited by website team