Ammar al-Hakim, chairman of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), conferred on Monday with Jordan"s king Abdullah II and Prime Minister Nader Dahabi at the start of an Arab tour apparently designed to dampen fears of Sunni-dominated Arab countries over Tehran"s reported interference in Iraqi affairs, the Deutsche Presse Agentur dpa reported from Amman. Al-Hakim was assured by King Abdullah and Dahabi that Jordan would continue its "backing of the Iraqi people"s efforts aimed at restoring security and stability" through national reconciliation in the neighbouring country. The Jordanian leaders praised the forthcoming Iraqi general elections in January as "an important milestone in the Iraqi political process," provided that it involved all shades of the Iraqi political spectrum. Dahabi expressed Jordan"s rejection of any intervention in internal Iraqi affairs as well as readiness to improve economic and trade ties with Iraq, including the construction of an oil pipeline to supply Jordan with Iraqi crude, according to a statement from the premier"s office. Al-Hakim "asserted the Arab nature of the Shiite community in Iraq and its pride over its Arab identity," the statement said. --SPA
