Jordan Times
Saturday, Janaury 23, 1999
King to meet with Omani, Egyptian leaders this week
AMMAN (J.T.) — Sultan Qaboos Ben Said of Oman is expected to arrive in Amman on Monday, while Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is expected to arrive later this week to congratulate His Majesty King Hussein on his recovery and to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East.
Since his return to Jordan on Tuesday, King Hussein has received telephone calls and messages of good wishes and congratulations from world leaders.
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who earlier phoned the King, sent a cable on Thursday in which he said: "We thank God Almighty for your recovery and your return to your country and your nation, who are overwhelmed with joy and who hope that you will resume your role alongside the leaders of our nation towards achieving further strength and solidarity in the face of circumstances and challenges facing the nation."
King Fahd added: "We implore God to bless you with continued health and to bless your country with continued progress and prosperity."
Prince Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz, crown prince and deputy prime minister of Saudi Arabia, congratulated King Hussein in a message, saying "I am pleased to address you as a brother and leader, to congratulate myself and my brothers the leaders of the Arab and Muslim World as well as the people of Jordan over your safe return to your country completely cured and blessed by God."
Prince Abdullah said, "I was delighted when I saw you in Washington standing up and combating illness with a strong will and with great faith in God and I was certain that I would see you returning home after overcoming the difficult circumstances in order to resume your role and your responsibilities along with the loyal rulers of the Arab and Muslim World."
King Hussein received on Friday phone calls from the leader of the Israeli Labour Party, Ehud Barak, Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon and Israeli Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai, who congratulated him on his recovery and safe return home.
Also Thursday, the King received a message of good wishes from King Hassan of Morocco, a congratulatory telephone call from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and cables from the governor of Australia, the president of the Dominican Republic and the prime minister of Pakistan, among others.
In New York, Arab ambassadors to the U.N. expressed their good wishes to the King during their weekly meeting attended by Jordanian Ambassador Hassan Abu Nimeh, who said afterwards that the envoys voiced their congratulations over the King's recovery.
The office of Jordan's mission to the U.N. received calls from the Jordanian community in the U.S. expressing their delight over the King's recovery and safe return.
Around the country, official and public celebrations continued Thursday and Friday to commemorate the King's return.