Jordan Times
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Jordan Ambassador to Iraq
sworn in
AMMAN (JT) - Jordan has named an ambassador to Iraq in a step to strengthen
relations between both countries.
Nayef Zeidan was sworn in on Monday before His Majesty King Abdullah at a Royal
Court ceremony attended by Royal Court Chief Bassem Awadallah and Foreign
Minister Salah Bashir.
The Kingdom recently has announced it would send an envoy to Iraq without
setting a specific date.
During Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki’s visit to Amman in June, King Abdullah
promised to send an ambassador soon.
In an interview with the Lebanese daily As-Safir on June 18, the Monarch said
that relations with Iraq should move ahead in a positive manner to serve the
interests of the two countries.
The Jordanian embassy in Baghdad has been run by a charge d'affaires for three
years and the Kingdom has not sent an ambassador, citing “security concerns”.
The newly appointed Ambassador Zeidan has served as Jordan's consul general in
Dubai.
Several Arab countries have linked sending back their ambassadors to the
restoration of security in Iraq. So far, Bahrain and the UAE have decided to
send back ambassadors to Baghdad after the security situation improved following
two “successful” military campaigns against Al Sadr militia and Al Qaeda.