Jordan Times
Thursday, march 1, 1999
King, Cohen discuss Iraq, U.S. military aid to Jordan
By Francesca Ciriaci
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah and U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen on Wednesday discussed the continuing crisis over Iraq and ways to improve the readiness of the Kingdom's ground forces.
“I indicated to King Abdullah that the U.S. stands firmly behind Jordan and that we are moving forward with an economic package,” Cohen said after an hour-and-a-half meeting and lunch with King Abdullah.
An additional $300 million package, two-thirds in military aid and the rest in economic assistance, was announced by U.S. President Bill Clinton following the death of King Hussein last month and is currently before Congress. The U.S. already provides the Kingdom with $225 million annually.
“We believe that economic stability and progress in Jordan is key to stability throughout the region,” Cohen told reporters before his departure from Marka airport.
Reports from Washington last week said congressional infighting could delay the bill, which is attached to other key assistance to Central America. But U.S. officials earlier this week expressed confidence that the legislation would go through.
The Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported that King Abdullah voiced appreciation for the U.S. administration and Congress' support to Jordan's development, stressing that combating poverty and unemployment is the main target of government efforts.
King Abdullah also emphasised Jordan's determination to modernise its Armed Forces so that it could play “its crucial role in maintaining regional peace,” Petra said.
Reporters travelling with Cohen quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying that the U.S. will help Jordan improve its army readiness and boost anti-tank forces with U.S. TOW-2 and Dragon anti-tank missiles, modern all-terrain vehicles and night-vision equipment.
Reuters news agency quoted a senior U.S. defence official as saying the Kingdom plans to make its ground forces more mobile to protect its borders and contain smuggling and infiltration from neighbouring countries.
Cohen firmly denied reports published in yesterday's local press that the U.S. had plans to split up Iraq.
“I also made clear to the King that the stories about the U.S. supporting the breakup of Iraq are false and without any foundation,” he told journalists.
Al Arab Al Yawm on Wednesday talked of an “American plan” to overthrow the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by July, and said a new leadership in Baghdad would accept a confederation with a Kurdish state to be established in the north of the country.
“We are not supporting any concept of a federation [with a Kurdish state] and we support the continued territorial integrity of Iraq,” Cohen affirmed.
“So those reports that have surfaced here in Jordan and elsewhere are, in fact, without any substance or foundation.”
However, Cohen reiterated Washington's belief that “as long as Saddam Hussein remains in power, the Iraqi people will not be able to enjoy the benefits of peace and stability.”
He said the United Nations recently filed a report according to which the Iraqi regime stored some $275 million worth of medical supplies and medicines in warehouses, refusing to distribute them to the people.
“So the suffering that is now visited upon the Iraqi people is due to the fact that Saddam has the ability to distribute these medicines and has refused to do so,” Cohen charged.
Jordan has long affirmed its rejection of the use
of force to settle the Iraqi question, while insisting that Baghdad comply with U.N.
Security Council resolutions and the suffering of the Iraqi people be alleviated.
King Abdullah has voiced the Kingdom's determination not to allow any party to use its
territory as a “springboard” for interference in the internal affairs of
neighbouring countries.
Jordan's stand on Iraq stems from the conviction that any change in Iraq must be decided by the Iraqi people, officials have said. They have privately expressed scepticism about the ability of the Iraqi opposition based abroad to effect change in Iraq, saying it was not fully inclusive.
On the Middle East peace process, Cohen said: “It is something that the U.S. feels very committed to, and I know the Jordanians are very interested in.”
The U.S. defence secretary, who placed a wreath on the grave of King Hussein, arrived here from Kuwait, following a tour of six Gulf states that diplomats said was aimed at drumming up support for the now daily U.S. air strikes against Iraq.
He was expected in Cairo later on Wednesday, and in Israel today, completing his nine-nation tour that started last week.
Cohen's tour came under attack from the Gulf press, vocally critical of operation “Desert Fox.” Qatar on Tuesday bluntly asked Cohen to stop the air-strikes and allow the U.N. to resolve the nine-year-old Iraqi crisis.