El-Shawi: Visit of Iraqi vice president to Cairo personal

Sultan El-Shawi, Iraq's permanent representative to the Arab League, described the visit of Iraqi Vice President Taha Muhyi al-Din Maruf, who is well known in Cairo, as a personal and private visit without any political aspects.

El-Shawi denied yesterday reports saying the vice president will conduct negotiations with the Egyptian authorities and described the information as false in details and generally.

This happened at a time when Jordan's King Abdullah II met with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Aziz to discuss bilateral relations between Jordan and Iraq and the general situation of the region.

Political observers link the arrival of the US assistant secretary for defense and political affairs with the arrival of the prime minister of Iraq in the Jordanian capital at the same time.