Powell's messages to Syria and Jordan

The Jordanian weekly al-Majd in its Monday's issue said, according to well-informed forces said that the question of signing a free trade agreement between Jordan and Iraq was on the top of issues discussed by the US secretary of state Colin Powell with high Jordanian officials on Sunday in Amman.

These sources added that Powell warned the Jordanian officials that Jordan has no right to sign a free trade agreement with two states which are in a state of war, noting in this regard to the free trade agreement between Jordan and the USA.

Powell told the Jordanians that their signing of the agreement with Iraq will obstruct the approval of the US congress on the free trade agreement with Jordan.

Meantime, the Israeli daily Yadhout Ahronout issued on Monday said that the US secretary of state Colin Powell intended during his visit to Damascus to hand President Bashar al-Assad a decisive message which is that Syria is responsible for controlling the activities of the Hizbullah party in South Lebanon.

In an analysis issued on Monday by the al-Quds al-Arabi daily which is published in London, the daily added that Powel's tour in the region has a main objective which is Iraq in order to complete the task and topple Saddam Hussein from power as well as rebuilding the coalition of President Bush ( the former one, the father) as without such a coalition America will find it difficult to work against Iraq.

The paper added that in order to have moderate Arab states included in this coalition, Powell will try to please the Palestinians.