A special envoy from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein arrived in Amman Saturday for talks with King Abdullah II of Jordan, the Jordanian royal palace said.
Izzat Ibrahim, vice president of Iraq's revolutionary command council, is due to meet King Abdullah on Sunday, a palace official told AFP, without providing details on the nature of Ibrahim's mission.
The talks precede a visit to Jordan next week by US Vice President Dick Cheney as part of a regional visit to review the US-led war on terrorism, amidst growing speculation that Iraq will be the next target of US military action following the campaign in Afghanistan.
Jordan, whose relations with Iraq have been boosted over recent years, has said it opposes any military strike on Baghdad.
Meanwhile, Jordanian anti-riot police broke up a short-lived demonstration by several dozen people who were protesting in front of the Iraqi embassy in Jordan’s capital in solidarity with the Iraqi and Palestinian people.
The protesters carried banners denouncing the "Arab silence on massacres committed against the Palestinian people" as well as US attacks on Iraq and the continuing embargo on the country.
They also blasted the proposals by "certain capitals to save (Israeli Prime Minister Ariel) Sharon," in a reference to the recent Saudi initiative floated by the Crown Prince, aimed at ending the Arab-Israeli conflict. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
