Jordan says won't be 'launchpad' for any Syria strikes

AMMAN: Jordan will not be a "launchpad" for military intervention in Syria, a senior government official said Tuesday, as Western and Muslim army chiefs wrapped up a meeting on the conflict.

"Jordan's position has not changed. Jordanian territories will not be used as launchpad for any military action against Damascus," the official told on condition of anonymity.

Amman has repeatedly called for political solution in Syria.

The official's remarks came on the second and final day of a meeting of senior military officers to discuss the regional impact of the war in Syria.

"The outcome of this meeting on developments in Syria is not expected to be announced to the media because of the nature of the meeting," the official said, without elaborating.

The state-run Petra news agency has quoted a military spokesman as saying the meeting comes at the invitation of Jordan's army chief of staff Meshaal Mohamed al-Zaban and General Lloyd Austin, head of Centcom, the US command responsible for 20 countries in the Middle East and Central Asia.

US army chief General Martin Dempsey was to take part, along with chiefs of staff from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Canada.

"Again, the meeting has be been scheduled for months. Similar meetings were held before in London and Doha," the government official said.