Jordan's king criticizes Prince Hassan for Iraqi position; differs with Blair
Jordan-Regional, Politics, 7/30/2002

The Jordanian King in London on Monday and two days before his visit to the White House to meet with the US President George Bush called for not listening to the hawks in Washington, who support a military intervention in Iraq that might open the door, if it will happen before all possibilities in the Middle East.

In a step which is the first of its kind since he assumed power in February 1999, the Jordanian King criticized his uncle Prince Hassan Bin Talal over his participation in a conference for the Iraqi opposition on July 12 in London considering it as " deadly mistake."

In an interview with the British Times daily, the Jordanian monarch, who seemed to have different views with the British prime minister Tony Blair, on linking between the Iraqi and Palestinian issues, said he will call in Washington for drawing timetable compulsory to the two Palestinian and Israeli sides.

In the interview which was described by the British paper as " uncommon and plenary," the Jordanian King criticized the call made by Bush to remove the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, noting that this call "contributed to strengthening the popularity of the Palestinian president and prevented any move to isolate him." King Abdullah said that the majority of the Palestinians who feel the US bias to Israel will more expectedly vote simply for Arafat, just to tease the US." Abdullah warned against any military act in Iraq without solving the Palestinian- Israeli question. He considered that "in light of the failure to achieve progress in the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, any military act against Iraq will open the door before all possibilities." He renewed denial of news on that Jordan will be a likely starting point for any American attack against Iraq.

On the other hand, the official spokesman for Blair said that talks between Blair and Abdullah on Monday dealt with a vast spectrum of issues, and mainly concentrated on the Middle East and Iraq.

The spokesman indicated that Blair did not totally agree the king's view point which said that the war led by the US against terrorism, including the military act against Iraq, can not proceed forward, unless serious steps are taken towards solving the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Rai al-Am: Al-Sharif Bin Ali and Iraq's future   (7/29/2002)
  King Abdullah meets with King Fahd, Sheikh Zayed   (7/27/2002)
  Assafir: Jordan invites Iraq to check if US military is on its bases for attack   (7/13/2002)
  Jordan warns of attacking Iraq, denies American forces on its territories   (7/12/2002)
  Prince al-Hassan Bin Talal invites for a religious conference in Amman, today, tomorrow   (5/29/2002)

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