Cyprus has expressed firm support to the King of Jordan Abdullah II after his half-brother and former heir of the country liaised with foreign parties over a plot to destabilise the Arab state.
“On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, I express our firm support to King Abdullah II and to the importance of maintaining security and stability in the Hashemite Kingdom,” Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides said in a twit on Sunday evening.
“Stability and security is in the interests of the Jordanian people and of the broader region, in which Cyprus and Jordan are close partners,” he added.
Prince Hamza who liaised with foreign parties over a plot to destabilise the country had been under investigation for some time.
On Saturday, the military said it had issued a warning to the prince over actions targeting “security and stability” in the key U.S. ally.
Prince Hamza later said he was under house arrest. Several high-profile figures were also detained.
These included a foreign intelligence agency contacting Prince Hamza’s wife to organise a plane for the couple to leave Jordan.
Between 14 and 16 people had been arrested in connection with the plot.
Efforts were underway to resolve the crisis within the royal family, but Prince Hamza was not cooperative.
The developments are likely to rock Jordan‘s image as an island of stability in the turbulent Middle East.Â
King Abdullah removed Prince Hamza from his position as heir to the throne in 2004, in a move that consolidated his power.
Although he has been marginalised for years, Prince Hamza has angered the authorities by forging ties with disgruntled figures within powerful tribes.
