His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday announced that Jordan has begun to create a counter-nuclear smuggling team (CNS) to combat the trafficking of nuclear materials.

The King made the announcement on the first day of the Second Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, which was also attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hussein and includes 43 world leaders and representatives of 57 international organizations.

At the summit, King Abdullah stressed that all countries must do everything they can to prevent the smuggling of highly enriched uranium and plutonium across different countries.

In an interview earlier with South Korea’s Dong-A Ilbo daily, His Majesty said the CNS will be "made up of officials and experts drawn from all relevant national security institutions, including customs and our Interpol liaison officer".

"We come to the Seoul Summit with a concrete initiative to strengthen our capacity to counter nuclear smuggling, an initiative that we have discussed and agreed with several other countries and that I hope will be joined by all other members of the Nuclear Security Summit by our next meeting, in 2014," His Majesty said.

"We have done so because we recognise the magnitude of the threat that nuclear material 'on the loose' poses to the national security of every country, whether or not a country enjoys the benefits of nuclear energy," he said in the interview.

The King explained to the Korean newspaper that supporting joint and concerted efforts to prevent illegal trafficking of nuclear and radiological materials is among the international summit’s main priorities. Other priorities include proposing specific recommendations on cooperative measures to combat the threat of nuclear terrorism, and identifying and putting in place measures to enhance secure and safe management of nuclear facilities, he said. The King expressed hope that the international community will work together to achieve worldwide nuclear security “that our people are entitled to”.

In reply to a question on the steps that should be taken to rid the world of nuclear weapons, the King said: “I think we should first ensure non-proliferation. Two things are of paramount importance to start with: compliance and transparency. Compliance with  international agreements and regimes. Transparency, when it comes to opening up facilities and sites to international inspectors as well as when it comes to providing information and discussing nuclear energy and related plans and projects.”

Nuclear weapons do not make anyone safer, His Majesty stressed. Only real peace, based on justice and international legitimacy, can guarantee real security, he said.

“Jordan has always spared no effort, since the time of my father, His Majesty the late King Hussein, to avoid nuclear proliferation and a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which would have unimaginable consequences well beyond our region,” the King told the Korean daily.

He noted that not only has Jordan signed every major international treaty and convention to prevent nuclear proliferation and secure nuclear materials, but it has also been a strong advocate for the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.

All Arab countries support the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons in the Middle East and have all signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, His Majesty said. But Israel remains outside this important regime, he noted, adding that Israel should sign the agreement now and join the international community in accepting the treaty’s legally binding provisions.

Arab Spring and Reform

In reply to a question on the Arab Spring, the King said that when the Arab Spring started, Jordan had already embarked upon a comprehensive and genuine reform process, noting that the Kingdom’s reform endeavour started more than a decade ago.

“So, when the Arab Spring came, we did see protests in Jordan, but these protests did not stem from lack of reform per se, but rather from frustration at the economic situation, unemployment and insufficient economic growth, and from dissatisfaction with either the direction or pace of reform,” the King added.

The King expressed confidence that 2012 will be the year of key political reform in Jordan and that “we can set a regional model of peaceful political evolution and inclusive consensual democratisation”.

“In Jordan we lived the Arab Spring differently from other countries. We embraced it as an opportunity.”

“Since day one of the demonstrations, we took the decision to disarm our police and loosen requirements for public rallies and gatherings. We immediately set up a national dialogue committee and a committee to review and draft amendments to the Constitution.”

“As a result, one-third of the entire Constitution was amended in September and we are now setting up new democratic institutions and processes designed to widen representation, strengthen political parties and increase popular participation in decision making,” His Majesty added.

Regarding Jordan’s efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the King said achieving the two-state solution, with the establishment of a Palestinian state on Palestinian national soil with East Jerusalem as its capital, is a Jordanian national interest.

“Only once the Palestinians are guaranteed all their legitimate rights, including the right to statehood, only then will our region finally know peace and reap the fruits of stability, security and development.”

In January, Jordan succeeded in bringing Palestinian and Israeli negotiators back to the table for the first time in 16 months. “They were only exploratory talks, baby steps, but, together with the international community, we will not stop trying,” the King said.

Future outlook

The King indicated that there are over 100 million young people in the Middle East between the age of 15 and 29, representing the largest youth cohort in the history of the region. Some analysts are referring to them as “the generation in waiting,” His Majesty noted. “They are waiting for quality education and training, meaningful opportunities, decent jobs, the kind of security that will allow them to build a life for themselves, nurture their talents and pursue their aspirations. And none of this will ever be fully realised without peace.”

Regarding cooperation between the Kingdom and Korea in the field of oil and gas exploration and electricity generation in the Dead Sea and Wadi Araba area, the King voiced satisfaction over the cooperation between the two countries in these fields, noting that he was delighted to inaugurate the new power plant in Qatraneh, “a very large project carried out by the Korea Electric Power Corporation in partnership with a Saudi company”.

“As for our recently signed memorandum of understanding with the Korea Global Petroleum Corporation to explore for oil and gas in the Dead Sea and Wadi Araba area, we are delighted to work with a partner with such extensive experience,” the King said.