Kuwait, Jordan: Formal normalization of relations

Jordanian Foreign Minister Abd al-Ilah al-Khatib on Tuesday started a visit to Kuwait with a meeting with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah during which he handed him a message from Jordan's King Abdullah Bin al-Hussein.

"Normalization" talks started between the two countries in Kuwait in a night meeting held between al-Khatib and his Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad.

Today a celebration will be held on the hoisting of the Jordanian flag at "Safir International" hotel, as the temporary headquarters of the Jordanian embassy on the fifth floor. It is expected that the return of Kuwaiti economic aid to Jordan and the Jordanian labor force to Kuwait are to be the main points of interest to the Jordanian side in the forthcoming phase.

Stalled relations between the two countries due to Jordan's stand in backing Iraq during its invasion of Kuwait witnessed a detente after Amman gave haven to the son of law of the Iraqi president, Hussein Kamal, and King Hussein's criticism of Iraqi policy in 1996.

After the two said events, closeness in relations from the Kuwaiti side came rather slowly due to the opposition shown inside the Kuwaiti government and parliament.

Several American officials who visited Kuwait recommended closeness with Jordan in order to further isolate Saddam Hussein's government.