Jordan Times
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Jordan doing utmost to end Iraq fighting — Khader
By Khalid Dalal
AMMAN — Jordan is exerting all possible efforts with international and regional
parties to help stop the military escalation in Iraq, which claimed hundreds of
lives, a senior official said on Monday.
Minister of State and Government Spokesperson Asma Khader reiterated Jordan's
position to end the occupation of the eastern neighbouring country and empower
Iraqis to run their own affairs. “We urge more efforts by the international
community and UN towards such end,” Khader told reporters at a weekly press
conference. She said Jordan, which denounces the abduction of civilians, is
currently working through “diplomatic channels” with all concerned parties to
release three Japanese hostages, kidnapped by a group calling itself the
“Mujahedeen Brigades” while travelling from Amman to Baghdad. The minister
described the kidnapping of foreign civilians in Iraq as a “human rights
violation that contradicts with Arab and Muslim values.” The kidnappers had
threatened to execute the three hostages if Japan failed to heed the deadline to
withdraw its 550 troops from Iraq. They also asked last week that Tokyo
apologise for its presence in Iraq and condemn “massacres” perpetrated by US-led
troops in Fallujah, a town west of Baghdad.
A Japanese official in Amman told The Jordan Times that there was no progress or
new development towards the release of Noriaki Imai, 18, Nahoko Takato, 34, and
Soichiro Koriyama, 32.
On the humanitarian front, Khader said Jordan will continue offering assistance
to the Iraqi people, especially through Armed Forces' military hospital in
Fallujah.
The minister emphasised that the hospital is functioning with its maximum
capacity and “is currently offering medical care to hundreds of people.”