Relations with Maliki on edge as Jordan courts Iraq's Sunnis
Jordan does not expect Iraq's Nouri al-Maliki to survive as prime minister and is courting Iraq's Sunnis to prepare for a possible successor.
Relations between Iraq’s outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Jordan have hit rock bottom following the convening of a conference in Amman on July 15 by Iraqi Sunni representatives and other opposition groups.
Baghdad recalled its ambassador in Amman “for consultations” two days later and Maliki criticized Jordan for sponsoring a meeting for “those who support sectarianism and terrorism” and called on the kingdom to “clarify its position on terrorism.” While Maliki insisted that he was looking to strengthen economic, political and security relations with the kingdom, Iraqi deputies belonging to Maliki’s coalition called on him to impose sanctions in retaliation for what they saw as a “hostile act” by an “ungrateful Jordan” against Iraq.
A member of Maliki’s State of Law Coalition, Saad al-Matlabi, said all options were on the table, “including severing ties and suspending bilateral agreements.” He claimed that the Amman conference was financed by Jordan’s royal court.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Joudeh told the country's official news agency that he had assured his Iraqi counterpart that the conference had nothing to do with the government. He said Jordan did not play a role in hosting the meeting or in drafting its final statement. But Baghdad asserted that many of those who attended were outlaws wanted by Iraqi authorities. An Iraqi military official, Qasem Ali, said his government would ask for the intervention of Interpol and demanded that Jordan hand over those “who had conspired against the democratic process.”
