Der Spiegel: Jordanian King does not rule out the return of monarchy to Iraq

The Jordanian King Abdullah II does not rule out that Iraq will be one day ruled by a member of the Hashamite family. In a press statement to the German daily Der Spiegel, he said that the American government will appoint a provisional government in Iraq under the leadership of an American army officer.

The Jordanian king added that the process of "installing leaderships living outside the country since more 20 or 30 years, a process which was possible in the 1950s of the past century, has become at the meantime unrealistic for practical and pragmatic reasons. Those who launch the war do not know beforehand the name of the leader who is the candidate for leading Iraq, especially as the Iraqi people are mature and refuse the hypothesis that their country will have a leadership appointed from abroad."

The Jordanian king who started yesterday a visit to germany which will last for three days added that Jordan " does not own enough means to protect its atmospheres in case a war erupt in the area, and that efforts are ongoing to protect the country from the dangers of chemical and virus wars." He stressed that Jordan is "neutral and any request from it for an American protection might be understood as an aggressive step against Iraq."

The Jordanian king stressed that he is optimist because all, including the US President George Bush, agree on the need of founding a Palestinian state. He indicated that the Beirut's recent Arab summit has provided a project and a mechanism for peace in the Middle East. This initiative is the light at the end of the dark tunnel."