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Jordan for bigger role for Iraq's Sunnis

Pro-US ally Jordan's King Abdullah on Monday urged US Vice President Dick Cheney to support a greater political role for Iraq's Sunnis to restore stability and curb Iran's growing influence, officials said.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 00:00 May 15, 2007
  • Gulf News

Amman: Pro-US ally Jordan's King Abdullah on Monday urged US Vice President Dick Cheney to support a greater political role for Iraq's Sunnis to restore stability and curb Iran's growing influence, officials said.

They said Cheney was told by the monarch during a meeting in the Red Sea port of Aqaba that Washington should pursue more vigorously the benchmarks on Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government on national reconciliation, that include dismantling Shi'ite militias and giving Sunnis a greater say.

"His Majesty stressed that the only way to end the infighting is reconciliation between all components of the Iraqi people and participation of all groups in the political process," the monarch was quoted by a palace official as telling Cheney.

Jordan and its Arab allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia have become increasingly exasperated with Washington's policies in Iraq after the US led invasion in 2003 which they say has inadvertently increase Shi'ite Iran's influence in the country.

"The increase in violence lately is disrupting efforts to restore stability and increases tensions in the region," the monarch was quoted as telling Cheney.

Cheney said on Monday that he generally got good responses from Arab allies in his appeal for more help in stabilizing Iraq. He also said he recognizes that advancing the Israel-Palestinian peace process is a related issue that also must be addressed.

"You don't get to pick and choose," the vice president told reporters aboard his plane as he returned from the weeklong tour of the Middle East.

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