AMMAN, 28 October 2005 — Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari opened talks yesterday with Jordanian officials at the start of a landmark visit aimed at boosting once close political and economic ties between the two countries. Jaafari, on his first trip to Amman, kicked off his two-day visit by holding talks with Prime Minister Adnan Badran ahead of meeting King Abdallah, saying they would examine a series of “strategic” issues. “This is an important visit and the first of its kind and it will help reinforce bilateral relations” between the two Arab neighbors, Jaafari told reporters.
In an interview published yesterday by Al-Dustour newspaper, Jaafari said he was carrying with him “important and decisive files linked to security, oil and trade exchanges.”
Badran for his part said discussions would focus on “all bilateral issues, including the question of oil.” Jaafari told Al-Dustour he was ready to give Jordan “clarifications” and his “personal opinion” on his deputy prime minister, Ahmed Chalabi, who faces jail in Amman over an alleged huge banking fraud.
