The ambassador of Jordan to the United States and Mexico, Karim Tawfiq Kawar, is spending Thursday in Jackson, where he will give a presentation on the Jordanian view of the Middle East Crisis. Kawar will speak to the University Club in Jackson in an invitation-only event.
Dr. Janos Radvanyi, chairman of International Security and Strategic Studies at Mississippi State University, is sponsoring Kawar’s trip. The lecture will be part of the ongoing Executive Lecture Forum program that Radvanyi has overseen since 1983. He said he is not certain what views on the crisis Kawar will give.
“Most probably, he will be giving the opinion of his country’s government about the crisis,” Radvanyi said. “And maybe give us the opinion on how they think is the best way to solve this issue.”
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a strong American ally, is a constitutional monarchy of over 5 million people. Bordered by Israel, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Syria, the nation is surrounded by political turmoil.
According to Radvanyi, Jordan has much at stake in the outcome of the current crisis. Should a heavy war break out, Jordan, which was historically part of Iraq, may face serious difficulties. Aside from possible war with Iraq, Radvanyi said he believes Kawar might also speak on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the difficulties Jordan, which has a large Palestinian population, faces in dealing with both sides.
Kawar, who became the Jordanian ambassador to the United States in September, holds a master’s degree in management, finance and computer science from Boston College in Massachusetts. At the age of 20, Kawar established his first company and headed an umbrella group that encompassed 10 information systems and software companies. He is viewed as a pioneer in developing Jordan’s information and communication technology sector.
Aside from his lecture, Kawar plans to tour the capital and meet with officials from the Mississippi Development Authority and Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove.