A prominent Jordanian governmental source said that the participation of Prince Hassan, the former Crown Prince, in the Iraqi opposition conference, concluded Sunday in London, embarrassed the Jordanian government and angered the King.
The source, who was adamant about not revealing his identity, disclosed to Albawaba.com Monday that the Iraqi regime contacted the Jordanian government, asking for explanation regarding Prince Hassan’s move. Additionally, the Iraqis asked if his participation was coordinated with the Jordanian government. According to the source, the kingdom responded by saying it had no advance knowledge about the Prince’s intentions. The Iraqis accepted this position, the sources added.
The Jordanian government on Saturday stressed that prince Hassan's participation was a personal initiative that does not represent the Kingdom's official stand and its position on Iraq.
“The participation of HRH Prince Hassan in the meeting was a personal act and his attendance of the meeting and the statements attributed to him do not represent Jordan's official position and HRH has no official position as he himself made clear at the meeting,” Minister of State for Political Affairs and Minister of Information and government spokesperson Mohammad Adwan said in a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
Adwan said Prince Hassan's presence at the meeting was a surprise to the Jordanian leadership. “We were surprised at the participation, which neither the leadership nor the government had any prior knowledge of, and which does not conform to the principled Jordanian stand on brotherly Iraq,” Petra quoted Adwan as saying. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
