British dailies comment on King Hussein's illness

British dailies issued on Wednesday stressed the grave health condition of King Hussein of Jordan after he returned to the United States for medical treatment after a new health setback.

The British daily "The Independent" said that the Jordanians have become confident now that King Hussein is on his way to death, that the cancer he suffers from has reached its final stages and that the Jordanians know the implications of his sudden return for new treatment.

The paper added that when King Hussein came back to Jordan the "sword fell on the neck of the impeached Crown Prince Hassan," who was accused by the King in a message before he left Amman that he (Hassan) made a little less that a "coup attempt" during the King's medical treatment in the US.

For its part the British daily The Times said that the Jordanian fears on the fate of the King have been increasing after his health setback and his sudden return to be treated.

The Times indicated that British and US diplomats have expressed their concern that "radical neighboring regimes " may avail the state of disputes inside Jordan in order to try to destabilize Jordan, whose borders are considered strategic in any peace agreement in the Middle East.

The Daily Telegraph for its part said, quoting Jordanian royal palace sources, that King Hussein "was very tired from the disputes and conflicts inside the royal family due to the question of his succession."

The paper added that the King's resumption of medical treatment had crowned a full week of tiring efforts during which he tried to restore balance in the ranks of the ruling family.