Iraq's al-Maliki arrives in Jordan for official visit

Oct 17, 2010, 13:25 GMT

Amman - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki arrived in Amman Sunday for an official visit and talks with Jordanian leaders on the prospects of surmounting the seven-month deadlock over the formation of a new Iraqi government, officials said.

Al-Maliki's talks with King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Samir Rifai are also expected to focus on regional developments and means of boosting bilateral cooperation, they added.

The Iraqi prime minister is expected to seek Jordan's support for his bid to lead a new Iraqi government, against the same intention of Iyad Allawi, leader of al-Iraqiya group that won the largest number of seats in Iraq's elections last March 7.

Allawi, who leads a broad-based coalition, usually enjoys backing from the neighbouring Sunni Arab states, including Jordan.

Al-Iraqiya has so far adamantly rejected al-Maliki's bid to lead a new Iraqi government and offered to support Adel Abdul-Mahdi of the Shiite National Alliance to become the new prime minister.

Al-Maliki is visiting Jordan in the course of a regional tour, which is also to include Egypt, Iran and Turkey.

He visited Syria earlier this week in a bid to mend fences with Damascus, which he earlier accused of supporting terrorist attacks inside Iraq.

Read more about Iraq

Read more about Jordan Diplomacy