Qatari media slams Jordan's 'overreaction'

Doha: Jordan has "overreacted" to Doha's decision not to support the Jordanian candidate for the post of UN secretary-general, accused Qatari media yesterday. Amman has recalled its ambassador in the Gulf country for consultations.

Qatar's leading Arabic dailies said in their editorials that Amman's reaction towards the Qatari stand was unjustifiable and deliberately aimed at instigating a crisis between the two countries. "Jordan is initiating a row with Qatar for no obvious reason or justifiable grounds," said Al Raya newspaper.

"Amman has launched an unjustifiable verbal campaign against Qatar that is escalating … Qatar believes that common interest should prevail over casual disagreements," the newspaper said.

Al Watan newspaper said Qatar had remained silent for too long while Jordan was verbally attacking the Gulf state. Al Sharq daily in its editorial said Qatar had earlier committed to support the candidacy of the South Korean delegate for the UN post and would have stuck to it despite good relations with Jordan

"The two countries should uphold the kinship ties that link them together and tone down the rhetoric," Al Sharq added. Qatar cast its vote for the South Korean candidate Ban Ki-moon in the latest straw poll for Kofi Annan's successor.

Jordanian government spokesman Nasser Jawdeh told reporters on Monday of Amman's "disappointment" with the Qatari decision not to vote for Jordan's Prince Zeid Bin Hussain, even though the Arab League unanimously backed his candidacy.

Another senior official told reporters that Jordan was considering punitive diplomatic measures against Qatar, hinting that Qatar's "negative attitude" towards Jordan was due to Amman's "rapprochement with Saudi Arabia".

The controversy worsened on Tuesday when Petra news agency said Jordan was recalling its ambassador in Doha for consultations.

Commenting on the issue, Shaikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabr Al Thani, Qatar's First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister, said in an interview to Al Jazeera channel on Tuesday evening that Qatar was "surprised and regretful" but would respect Jordan's decision. "We are really surprised that Jordan is blaming Qatar for the failure of its candidate when 13 other members of the UN Security Council also voted for the South Korean candidate," he said.

Thailand nominee

Shaikh Hamad said Arab countries had decided six months ago to back Thailand's candidate and Jordan announced the candidature of Prince Zeid only later.

He said Qatar had already shifted its backing to South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon. "We said that at the Arab League meeting and the Jordanian foreign minister knows that well."

''We feel regretful of such a matter and we know that there are certain countries that seek to complicate the relationship [between Qatar and Jordan]," Shaikh Hamad said without elaborating further.