Civilians and forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad celebrate after the forces took control of the town from rebel fighters, in Qusayr, yesterday.
AMMAN: Jordan gave a “final warning” to Syria’s ambassador yesterday that he would be declared persona non grata if he continues to insult the kingdom, in a sign of growing tensions between the neighbours.
“Syrian Ambassador Bahjat Suleiman has violated all diplomatic norms through his condemned behaviour and statements against Jordan,” Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh told state-run Petra news agency.
“Suleiman, who obviously lacks the minimum requirements of diplomacy, has been warned to stop such remarks that insult Jordan’s civil and military institutions.” Judeh stressed that Suleiman “should consider this a “final warning”.
“Any such behaviour or remarks against Jordan in the future will be met with Jordanian diplomatic measures against Suleiman and he will be declared persona non grata,” he said. According to MP Bassam Manasir, Suleiman had threatened Jordan.
“This man is impudent. He started attacking Jordan when Amman hosted a meeting of the Friends of Syria group last month, calling it a meeting of Syria’s enemies,” Manasir said, adding that is demanding the envoy’s expulsion.
Manasir quoted Suleiman as writing on Facebook that “Jordanians are ignorant. They should know that Syria has Iskander missiles, which are very very effective against Patriot missiles.”
The ambassador was reportedly referring to sophisticated missile systems that Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has implied Russia has already begun to deliver.AFP
