BAGHDAD: King Abdallah of Jordan held talks in Baghdad yesterday on the first visit to Iraq by an Arab head of state since the 2003 US invasion.
The monarch went immediately on his arrival in the Iraqi capital into a meeting with Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki, officials said.
Discussions focused on “the way to improve bilateral relations in all fields” and were “frank and positive,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.
A second statement released by Al-Maliki’s office hailed the ties between the neighbors. “This visit will open a new page in relations between the two countries which will help maintain the stability and security in Iraq and all the region,” Al-Maliki said. For his part King Abdallah said that he “renewed his support to the Iraqi government in its efforts to strengthen security and for reconstruction.”
“Jordan is ready to stand at the side of Iraq to realize the wish of the Iraqi people for security, stability and prosperity,” the king said.
Abdallah and his delegation, which included Prime Minister Nader Dahabi, had been expected to visit Iraq last month but his trip was delayed for security reasons.
His visit was agreed during a visit to Amman by Al-Maliki in June to renew a 2006 deal to sell oil at a discount to its neighbor, which relies on Iraq for most of its fuel needs.
In the wake of that visit, Amman announced that it had appointed an ambassador to Baghdad where its embassy has been run by a charge d’affaires since it came under deadly attack in 2003.
Jordan kept its embassy in Baghdad open even after the mission was attacked, but it downgraded the level of its representation amid serious concerns about security.
The king’s visit is seen as a step forward for Baghdad, which is working to rebuild relations with its neighbors. Washington has been pushing its Arab allies to send ambassadors and high-level officials to Baghdad.
In 2004 King Abdallah warned against the emergence in Iraq of a pro-Iranian government that would promote a “Shiite crescent” bringing together Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
