Activities of Secretary-General in Jordan, 31 January – 1 February

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon-taek, arrived in Amman, Jordan, from Ethiopia on Tuesday morning, 31 January.

His first meeting was with Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, with whom he later held a press encounter.

He had an audience with King Abdullah II bin al Hussein at the Royal Palace, and also met that day with Prime Minister Awn Khasawaneh.  The Secretary-General noted that the situation in the Arab region has a generational opportunity to create the future it deserves.  In his discussions on the situation in the Middle East, he said a two-State solution that will allow both peoples to live side by side in peace and security is long overdue.  He thanked King Abdullah and Foreign Minister Judeh for reinvigorating the peace process, and discussed how to move the negotiations forward.

That day, Mr. Ban also met with Jordanian youth, and the United Nations country team in Jordan.  His last meeting of the day was with Quartet representative Tony Blair.

He attended adinner hosted by Foreign Minister Judeh.  In a speech, he praised Jordan’s great contributions in diplomacy and peacekeeping.  (See Press Release SG/SM/14089)

Before retiring for the day, he briefed a group of journalists travelling with him.

On Wednesday, 1 February, the Secretary-General travelled to Jerusalem by road.