Jordan Times
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Iraqi constitution
internal affair — Jordan
By Mahmoud Al Abed
AMMAN — A senior official on Monday said Jordan
now has no plans to sign an extradition agreement with Iraq, refuting recent
news reports on the deal.
Deputy Prime Minister Marwan Muasher, however, confirmed that Baghdad was
cooperating with Amman to arrest three suspected terrorists, who fled to the
neighbouring country after launching a rocket attack in Aqaba against US
warships, killing a Jordanian soldier and wounding another.
“The investigation is still under way and we are currently in contacts with the
Iraqi authorities to arrest the suspects,” Muasher, also government
spokesperson, told a press briefing on Monday.
“We want to bring them to trial in Jordan.”
Iraq promised that Baghdad would “do its best to arrest those people.”
Last week, Jordan said it arrested a Syrian national residing in Amman it
suspects was the “key element” in the Katyusha attack and named three others
allegedly involved.
An Al Qaeda group headed by Abu Mussab Zarqawi, the most wanted man in Iraq,
claimed it carried out the attack.
Muasher said a visit by Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr on Friday to discuss
the issue was postponed due to the constitution drafting process.
The spokesperson denied reported allegations that Jabr cancelled the visit in
protest against the alleged failure by Jordan to control its borders with Iraq.
“Jordan's border control record excels that of any Arab or non-Arab country in
the region,” he said.
Muasher announced that “the Iraqi interior minister will come to Amman within
the coming few days.”
Meanwhile, the deputy premier confirmed that Amman has nominated an ambassador
to Baghdad, and Iraq has accepted the nominee, but the envoy will not go to the
Iraqi capital until it is safe.
Muasher did not identify the designated ambassador, but other government
officials said the envoy is retired Major General Ahmad Salameh Lawzi.
Amman and Baghdad called in their top diplomats for consultation in March.
In a related development, Muasher said the ongoing debate over the constitution
in the neighbouring country remains an Iraqi internal affair.
“Jordan wants the maximum concord [among Iraqis] over the constitution. We want
a unified Iraq but the details of the constitution are internal affairs.”
The minister reiterated that Jordan will always consider Iraq as “an Arab
country,” which was a founding member of the Arab League.