Amman - A settlement appeared in the offing Tuesday in the impasse between the Jordanian government and Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Patriarchate hours before the arrival in Amman of the Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis. Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilus III and the Holy Synod had sent two letters to the Jordanian government and announced on Monday a bid to clarify their position on alleged sale of church land to Jewish establishments.
The announcement declared that no church land has been sold under the current patriarch's tenure.
"The patriarch and the Holy Synod will spare no effort in order to safeguard the ownership rights of the patriarchy on any property which was transferred illegally and in violation of the law of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem before Patriarch Theophilus' tenure," it said.
The government indicated that it was satisfied with the patriarch's reply and announcement.
"We feel that the government's demands have been met," the government's official spokesman Nasser Judeh said Monday.
"The two letters sent to Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit by the patriarch were indeed reassuring. In addition, the statement ... was in spirit with our ongoing discussions and we hope this will pave the ground for solving the impasse," he added.
On May 12, Amman had revoked recognition of Theophilus III as Patriarch of Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Church after receiving "documented evidence" that he was involved in at least 12 transactions to sell or lease church property in the holy city.
The decision did not take effect yet because it was still awaiting a royal decree to seal it, officials said.
The government sought to send "a clear message that Jordan was disappointed with his performance and serious about upholding a 1958 law which bans the sale of any church land or property in Jerusalem," they added.
The Jordanian authorities are investigating evidence presented by the patriarch to refute the accusations.
Jordan has also asked the patriarch to reaffirm commitments made under documents signed with the Kingdom in August 2005 before his appointment, which included adding Arabs in the Holy Synod and creating a mixed council.
Theophilus III replaced Irineos I, who was ousted in May 2005 over claims of being involved in the unsanctioned sale of church property to Jewish investors.
East Jerusalem was under Jordan's jurisdiction when Israel seized the West Bank in the 1967 six-day war and annexed the Arab part of the holy city.
Under the provisions of the 1994 peace treaty, Israel acknowledged Jordan's right as custodian of the Christian and Islamic holy places in the holy city.
