Indyk in Jordan: agreement at next meeting not likely
Jordan, Politics, 12/16/1997

King Hussein Of Jordan received U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Martin Indyk on Sunday. They discussed the recent developments in the peace process. Indyk pointed out the efforts made by the Clinton administration to enforce the process and overcome those difficulties that face it, particularly on the Palestine track.

It is necessary to work together to rebuild trust among the parties connected to the peace process, the king stated. Each party has to implement its obligations, he added.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State appreciated King's efforts to achieve a permanent and comprehensive peace in the region.

Indyk was also received by Crown Prince Hassan, to whom Indyk reaffirmed America's obligation to peace process.

Jordan's Foreign Minister Fayez al-Tarawnah met the U.S. envoy, who said that U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will meet both Palestine President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday and that his visit to Israel and Gaza Strip aims at restarting the peace process between the two sides.

Indyk told reporters that Albright believed some progress has been made on the Israel - Palestine track.

Achieving a complete agreement during the next meeting was not expected, said Indyk, but the US will try hard to reach an agreement, according to which final stage negotiations can be commenced, he added.

Confirming the U.S. position concerning Baghdad's hanging of four Jordanians, Indyk condemned the act. Indyk told reporters that the U.S. administration was outraged by the executions in Baghdad.

"We are absolutely appalled by the executions of those Jordanians," he said after his talks with Jordan's Foreign Minister. "We condemn it in the strongest possible terms, and we see it as just another example unfortunately of the brutality of Saddam Hussein and his regime and we have seen similar actions before," he added.

Asked if Washington would help Amman get alternate oil supplies if the recent crisis with Baghdad escalated to an Iraqi suspension of oil supplies to Jordan, Indyk said "I would simply say the US is Jordan's ally and friend and obviously we will be doing what we can to help Jordan if it faces difficulties," Indyk added.

Jordan and Iraq exchange oil and goods worth hundreds of millions of dollars according to a trade protocol exempted from U.N. sanctions.

Good relations between the two nations badly deteriorated in 1995, when King Hussein called for Iraq's government to be changed and he granted asylum to Saddam's son-in-law General Hussein Kamel Hassan.

The deterioration in relations could jeopardize Jordan's oil supplies. Jordan mainly depends upon the 70,000 barrels imported daily from Iraq at a reduced price, under a permission from the U.N. bypassing the sanctions imposed on Iraq after Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait in August, 1990.

Previous Stories:
  Jordan - Iraq   (12/13/1997)
  King Hussein to Netanyahu: You destroyed everything   (11/20/1997)

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