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- <text id=94TT0417>
- <title>
- Apr. 18, 1994: King Hussein
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1994
- Apr. 18, 1994 Is It All Over for Smokers?
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- MIDDLE EAST, Page 43
- "We Cannot Accept to Be Treated This Way"
- </hdr>
- <body>
- <p>King Hussein with Dean Fischer.
- </p>
- <p> Sporting a white beard in conscious imitation of his Hashemite
- ancestors, Jordan's King Hussein last week spoke with TIME Cairo
- bureau chief Dean Fischer about the Arab-Israeli peace negotiations
- and his diagnosis of the Middle East's political ailments. Excerpts:
- </p>
- <p> On growing disenchantment with peace negotiations: Initially
- there was a great deal of enthusiasm and hope within Israel
- and the Arab world. But none of us has shown the capabilities
- to deal with the challenges. I feel that Israel is able to focus
- on only one subject at a time. Maybe that is the reason for
- the delays on the other tracks. I hope that we will see Arafat
- back on Palestinian soil as soon as possible. But the sad part
- was that an agreement [between Israel and the P.L.O.] was
- made without filling in all the details. As a result, there
- has been a delay. In the meantime some terrible things have
- happened in the region. We can't afford to have this.
- </p>
- <p> On the impact of the Iraqi trade embargo: The cooperation and
- commitment that we have given to achieve a comprehensive peace
- in this region do not justify the treatment Jordan has received.
- The embargo has done tremendous damage to Jordan. We have lost
- a lot of our traditional markets. Insurance premiums have been
- almost impossible. We even have to pay for the inspection of
- the ships. And we have noticed an increase in this last year
- rather than a decrease in these inspections and interceptions
- offshore. We have lost 16 regular lines that used to serve the
- port of Aqaba, our only access to the sea. We have lost over
- $1 billion so far. And not a single ship that was interdicted
- since the beginning of this problem was found to be carrying
- anything that was illegal. We cannot understand why this continues.
- Is it the Security Council? Is it the United States? Who is
- it that is imposing this policy and for how long can we tolerate
- it? We cannot accept to be treated this way.
- </p>
- <p> On Islamic fundamentalism: What we are seeing [in Algeria,
- Egypt and Turkey] is also occurring elsewhere in the world.
- In Europe, in the former Eastern bloc, and in many parts of
- the world, there is instability. I believe the Arab-Israeli
- problem is the root cause of instability in this region. If
- that is adequately resolved, it will contribute greatly toward
- decreasing the tensions, the frustrations and the anger and
- despair. With peace, there will be the breaking of a new dawn
- as far as the quality of life of people is concerned. Almost
- every eruption in this area that has occurred in recent history
- had Palestine as the objective in some form or another. It has
- been the ladder to power of adventurers time and again. We have
- to address it.
- </p>
-
- </body>
- </article>
- </text>
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