Jordan Times
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
King, Assad talk Mideast,
ties issues
By Khalid Dalal
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad discussed on
Monday regional developments and bilateral ties.
During a telephone call, both leaders held talks on the Iraqi and the
Palestinian issues as well as ways to bolster relationships between Amman and
Damascus, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
Government Spokesperson Asma Khader, meanwhile, said Assad is expected to visit
Jordan “soon.”
“The visit was scheduled earlier, but was postponed after one of the Syrian
president's uncles recently passed away,” she said.
Officials from both countries are expected to discuss the issue of Jordanian
detainees in Syria as well as means to enhance bilateral cooperation, especially
in the economic field, Khader said.
The two sides last month reached a deal on Syria's encroachment on 125 square
kilometres of the Kingdom's territories along its northern borders as well as
Jordan's 2.5 square kilometres overlap on Syrian territories.
In another development, Khader denied reports that Israel and Syria were
planning to hold “secret” talks in Amman.
“There are no talks expected between Syrian and Israeli officials in Amman.
However, Jordan welcomes reviving peace talks among all concerned parties in the
Middle East peace process,” said Khader, also minister of culture.
Israel's Haaretz daily quoted the Arabic-language website Elaph as saying that
the secret talks were expected in early January. Elaph quoted diplomatic sources
in Amman, according to the newspaper.