In the End, 'Iraq Will Succeed'

When you visited President Bush in Washington, did you ask him about the future of the road map?

I did, and he was very forthcoming on his support for the peace process. . . . I do believe that the president does believe in a two-state solution and the road map, but on the ground there are some discrepancies. . . . When Prime Minister Sharon came to visit Bush after my visit, we need to know in transparent detail what [they were] talking about. We know the Israelis are dedicated to pulling out of Gaza, but we still are unclear on what happens after that and how effective the road map is and how much it will determine the process.

Do you think Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (known as Abu Mazen) is doing everything he can to fight terrorism?

To fight terrorism, I truly believe Abu Mazen is giving 110 percent support. We need the U.S., the Israelis and the international community to help strengthen Abu Mazen's capability as the leader of Palestinians. It comes down to financial support. He needs to show the Palestinians that today is better than yesterday. The Israelis can help a lot by relieving the pressure on checkpoints, and there is money held by Israeli banks that could be given back to the [Palestinian] government. We need to improve the standard of living of Palestinians. That is the key to moderate Palestinians having stronger showing in the polls when it comes to elections.

Some Israelis say that he is not doing enough to disarm Hamas.

Is it the will or the means? I believe he does have the will. We are trying to give him the means to disarm. [There are] gaps in [the Palestinian Authority's] security capabilities. We in Jordan are trying to assist in training Palestinian policemen and so are the Americans and the Egyptians.

Isn't the July legislative election a problem for Abu Mazen as polls show Hamas possibly winning 40 percent?

He has his concerns, I am sure, but Abu Mazen being the person I know him to be--he will try to move with elections on time. If there is a concern outside the territories about Hamas, then giving economic prosperity to the Palestinians is the quickest way to get the moderate majority to have a say in the process.

Al Qaeda has made attempts to strike here. Is the situation under control?

Jordan is a safe and stable country. This is an ongoing battle. If we let our guard down, the al Qaedas of the world would use Jordan as a base.

How do you believe we--the West and Jordan--are doing in the fight against terror?

There is international coordination and cooperation in the war against terrorism. But battling terrorists is only part of it. The core recruiting platform for terrorists in the Muslim world is the Israeli-Palestinian issue. That is what extremists use as a rallying cry. So, one of the reasons that we want the Israeli-Palestinians issue to move quickly is that it shuts the recruiters down.

How do you believe you can win the hearts and minds of young people in your part of the world?

Fifty per cent of the Middle East is under the age of 18 and so you have to use the platform of reform to reach out to them. This is why we came up with the Amman message: It is part of a long-term agenda to win moderate Islam back. . . . Basically, the Amman message says the taking of lives of innocent people, hatred, anger and suspicion against your fellow man have nothing to do with Islam. Winning the Muslim street back is not a five-, 10- or 15-year process. You have to reverse wrong education that has been used in the madrassas and other institutions that taught in the name of Islam you could kill your fellow man.