Washington gives assurances to Jordan over its plans for reforms

The Jordanian foreign minister Marwan Muasher said yesterday that he had received assurances from Washington on the American thoughts concerning reforms in the Middle East after a meeting with the US Secretary Of State Colin Powell.

Muasher told journalists "It please me very much what was stated by secretary Powell in the need that reform efforts to come from the region, rather to be imposed on its from abroad." He added "I think it is also important for the region to come out with a credible and serious reform operation and this is what we are doing exactly." He continued "I have briefed the minister on some of these efforts especially regarding what Jordan is doing and what we are doing in the Middle East." Washington, however, hopes to launch "the Greater Middle east initiative" for economic and political reforms in the Arab and Islamic states at the G-8 industrial summit in next June.

Muasher said that what is called the efforts for reforms should also include necessarily great interests and involvement in the Arab- Israeli conflict.