Jordan Times
Sunday, February 19, 2006
King expected to meet
with Sadr today
By Faisal Malkawi
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah is expected to
meet today with leader of Iraqi Shiite Sadrist movement Moqtada Sadr for talks
on the Iraqi situation and relations between the two countries, officials said.
They gave no details.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit met with Sadr and described Jordan's
“distinguished” ties with Iraq as “historic.”
Bakhit reiterated that Jordan was keen to see a united, secure and sable Iraq,
saying that the upcoming Iraqi government should represent all segments in the
neighbouring country.
Sadr told reporters after the meeting that his talks with Bakhit focused on
“means to enhance the brotherly ties of cooperation between the Jordanian and
Iraqi people.”
He added that the withdrawal of the foreign troops from Iraq in line with a set
timetable should be a priority for the coming Iraqi government.
The cleric stressed that improving Iraq's relations with its neighbours was
“very important.”
He said his regional tour aims at boosting Iraq's relations with neighbouring
countries.
Sadr, a member of the Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, which swept the January
polls, arrived Thursday in Jordan after visits earlier this year to Iran, Syria
and Saudi Arabia, where he performed Hajj.