Jordan Times
Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Border with Iraq protected — King

AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday reiterated that Jordan is doing its utmost to protect the border with Iraq and prevent the infiltration of terrorists into the neighbouring country.

King Abdullah told top representatives of Iraqi media outlets at a Raghadan Palace lunch that Jordan supports Iraqis in their efforts to overcome their difficult circumstances.

The King said Jordan's historical and brotherly ties with Iraq “are too strong to be sabotaged.”

“Jordan will always be the primary backer of Iraq and Iraqis' aspirations,” he reiterated. “The Iraqi people's success in building a democratic Iraq that plays an active regional and international role is also Jordan's success, and restoring Iraq's security and stability is key to Jordan and the entire region.” The media representatives, who met with several officials and their counterparts here, said the visit enhanced their belief in Jordan as “the real backer of the Iraqi people.”

Hussein Adeli, an Iraqi Media and Communications Commission official, said the meeting with the King was “warm.”

“We are confident that ties between Jordan and Iraq will witness progress in all fields,” he told Jordan TV.

“Jordan's policy is based on cooperation and alliance [with Iraq] in line with historical and geographical facts.” For his part, Director of the Iraqi Media Network Habib Sadr said Iraqi media outlets “are serious in their pursuit to build strong partnership with the Jordanian media through a long-term strategy.”

Sadr added that the Kingdom's media “fell short of clarifying the balanced official stand of Jordan towards Iraq.” Ismail Zayer, chief editor of Al Sabah Al Jadid newspaper, said “there are certain powers that benefit from a bad relationship between Jordan and Iraq.”

He urged continuous communication between the media institutions in both countries. “Because the enormous changes in Iraq worry our brothers in Jordan.”


Back to April 19, 2005