Jordanian King Abdullah II held talks on Monday with the Iraqi prime minister after arriving in Baghdad for a four-hour unannounced visit — the first by an Arab head of state since the 2003 US-led invasion toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Abdullah called on Arab governments to “extend their hand to Iraq” because a strong Iraq “is a source of strength for the Arab nation,” a statement released by the royal palace in the Jordanian capital of Amman said.
An Iraqi government statement said Abdullah had “frank and positive talks” with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on relations between the two countries. Al-Maliki told the king that Iraq wanted to improve relations with all Arab countries, it said.
PHOTO: EPA
In turn, Abdullah expressed Jordan’s support for Iraqi “efforts to impose stability,” the Iraqi statement said.
Relations between the two neighboring countries had been strained since the fall of Saddam’s government because of Jordanian fears that Iraq’s Shiite-led government was too friendly with Shiite-dominated Iran.
Monday’s visit had not been announced. An earlier trip set for last month was canceled because Jordanian officials did not want any advance publicity.
Iraqi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of Jordanian sensitivities, said the visit lasted only four hours and the king left ahead of the announcement.
US officials had been urging Abdullah to visit Iraq to bolster ties between the two countries as part of Washington’s campaign to shore up support for the Iraqi government as a counterweight to Iranian influence.
Jordanian officials have also been concerned about Iranian influence in Iraq and the loss of discounted oil, which Saddam once provided. Abdullah warned in 2004 about the emergence of a “Shiite crescent” including Iran, Iraq and Lebanon — remarks that angered Iraqi officials.
Al-Maliki visited Jordan in June for the first time in nearly two years, and since then, the two nations appear willing to put their differences behind them. During that visit, al-Maliki agreed to renew oil supplies to Jordan for the next three years at discounted prices.
Jordan agreed to ease restrictions on the entry of Iraqi students and those transiting to a third country. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have sought refuge in Jordan to escape the sectarian violence that swept the country two years ago but has since receded.
Jordan has also named an ambassador to Iraq, joining other Arab countries that have agreed to upgrade their relations as the Iraqi government becomes more stable and security has improved — despite sporadic attacks and ongoing military operations.
The Jordanians maintained an embassy in Baghdad — but without an ambassador — even though the compound was attacked in August 2003 in the first car-bombing of the Iraq war.
Iraqi officials have been anxious to improve their ties with their Arab neighbors now that the government’s confidence has risen with improvements in security.
On Monday, about 250 Iraqi refugees were flown home from Egypt free of charge aboard the prime minister’s personal plane in what Iraqi officials said was an affirmation of improved security.
Military spokesman Brigadier General Qassim al-Moussawi said such flights would continue “in order to fetch all families that wish to come back.”
Nevertheless, insurgent attacks continue although at a much lower level than in recent years.
The Philippine Department of Justice yesterday labeled Vice President Sara Duterte the “mastermind” of a plot to assassinate the nation’s president, giving her five days to respond to a subpoena. Duterte is being asked to explain herself in the wake of a blistering weekend press conference where she said she had instructed that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr be killed should an alleged plot to kill her succeed. “The government is taking action to protect our duly elected president,” Philippine Undersecretary of Justice Jesse Andres said at yesterday’s press briefing. “The premeditated plot to assassinate the president as declared by the self-confessed mastermind
CHAGOS ISLANDS: Recently elected Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam told lawmakers that the contents of negotiations are ‘unknown’ to the government Mauritius’ new prime minister ordered an independent review of a deal with the UK involving a strategically important US-UK military base in the Indian Ocean, placing the agreement under fresh scrutiny. Under a pact signed last month, the UK ceded sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius, while retaining control of Diego Garcia — the island where the base is situated. The deal was signed by then-Mauritian prime minister Pravind Jugnauth and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Oct. 3 — a month before elections in Mauritius in which Navin Ramgoolam became premier. “I have asked for an independent review of the
Czech intelligence chief Michal Koudelka has spent decades uncovering Russian spy networks, sabotage attempts and disinformation campaigns against Europe. Speaking in an interview from a high-security compound on the outskirts of Prague, he is now warning allies that pushing Kyiv to accept significant concessions to end the war in Ukraine would only embolden the Kremlin. “Russia would spend perhaps the next 10 to 15 years recovering from its huge human and economic losses and preparing for the next target, which is central and eastern Europe,” said Koudelka, a major general who heads the country’s Security Information Service. “If Ukraine loses, or is forced
THIRD IN A ROW? An expert said if the report of a probe into the defense official is true, people would naturally ask if it would erode morale in the military Chinese Minister of National Defense Dong Jun (董軍) has been placed under investigation for corruption, a report said yesterday, the latest official implicated in a crackdown on graft in the country’s military. Citing current and former US officials familiar with the situation, British newspaper the Financial Times said that the investigation into Dong was part of a broader probe into military corruption. Neither the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Chinese embassy in Washington replied to a request for confirmation yesterday. If confirmed, Dong would be the third Chinese defense minister in a row to fall under investigation for corruption. A former navy
RSS