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Jordan Slaps Restrictions on Visitors from Lebanon
AMMAN, July 27 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Lebanese nationals wishing to visit Jordan will no longer be able to obtain visas as they enter the kingdom starting August 1st, but must apply for them ahead of time, a senior Jordanian official said on Thursday, news agencies reported.
The official said the new measure scraps earlier regulations in place since September 2000 which allowed Lebanese nationals to obtain entry visas at the kingdom's airports and from border posts.
"We decided to treat the Lebanese visitors with reciprocity as of August 1st," the official said, quoted by the French news agency AFP, referring to Lebanese regulations under which Jordanians must also apply for a visa ahead of visiting Lebanon.
"This new regulation does not, however, affect in any way the relations between Jordan and Lebanon, which are good and solid," the official said. "These measures are simply measures of reciprocity to regulate the movement of people between the two countries."
The move, announced Thursday by Jordanian Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb, came after the Lebanese government refused to wave visa formalities for Jordanian citizens, the Lebanese Daily Star online reported.
Abu Ragheb, who arrived in Beirut Thursday for a three-day private visit, placed the blame squarely on Lebanon.
"The issue was initiated by our Lebanese brethren," he said. "In the past, we have taken steps to facilitate the affairs of the Lebanese citizens."
Jordanian Ambassador Anmar Hmoud told The Daily Star that over the past five years, his country had made repeated efforts to convince Lebanese authorities to remove visa restrictions.
"We believe that the whole Arab world should be moving toward smoother integration," Hmoud said.
Calling the extra formalities a "handicap", Hmoud said that last September, Jordanian authorities decided to ease visa restrictions for Lebanese. Two types of visas were thus issued for Lebanese visitors: either a one-entry visa available at the airport in Amman and at the land border post at Ramtha, or a six-month, multiple-entry visa issued at the Jordanian Embassy in Beirut.
Since then, Jordanian authorities have tried to convince Lebanese authorities to reciprocate, even going so far as to contact President Emile Lahoud. These efforts have been to no avail.
According to Hmoud, any Lebanese wishing to travel to Jordan after August 1st will now be forced to apply for a visa at the embassy. Since the files will have to be sent to Amman, it should take two weeks for regular applications to be processed.
The Lebanese press reported on Thursday that the Jordanian measure followed a Lebanese decision to impose visas on Jordanian nationals in a bid to control the arrival on its territory of Palestinians who hold Jordanian nationality, according to AFP.
But, Hmoud dismissed the claim that Lebanon needed to make a special case with regard to Jordanian citizens of Palestinian origin.
"Security concerns in the Arab world are identical," he said. "The situation in Lebanon is no different from that in Jordan."
Although Abu Ragheb is in Beirut in an unofficial capacity, he was met at the airport by Minister of State Beshara Merhej, who was representing Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Hariri and the Jordanian premier will meet to discuss political and regional affairs, as well as bilateral relations, Abu Ragheb said.
Describing bilateral relations as "historically exceptional," the Jordanian premier said he anticipated even more cooperation in the future.
Regarding the regional situation, Abu Ragheb told reporters that it was difficult to predict what will happen.
"It is, however, my opinion, and that of all observers, that the situation is very critical," he said.
Abu Ragheb said that Arabs should join forces to promote the implementation of the Mitchell report, adding that Israel had "exceeded all possible limits" in violating Palestinians rights.
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