Jordan king urges peaceful power transition in Syria

Jordanian King Abdullah II has called for a peaceful power transition in Syria in order to avert potential vacuum that could be filled by extremists Interviewed by French-speaking Le Nouvel Observateur, he stressed the necessity of creating consensus on a power transition plan purposed to ensure comprehensive transition, maintain Syria's territorial integrity and put an end to violence, a royal statement said. He emphasized that all Syrian parties, including Allawites, should feel that they would play a role in the future of their country. He cautioned that societal fragmentation would have serious impacts on the Middle East region as a whole. On Palestine, the Jordanian king said the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is mainly to blame for regional instability. He said a solution to the conflict is a top priority for Jordan's foreign policy. He hoped that US President Barack Obama's second term of office would be an opportunity for the conflict to be resolved. He also pointed to a strong international political will to put a two-state solution in place soon. The Jordanian king lauded Palestine's UN observer membership as a historic and strategic achievement that should be capitalized on to push forward the stalled Middle East peace process