Jordanian, Mubarak Visit Iraq for Talks on Gulf War

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak made a surprise trip to Baghdad with Jordan’s King Hussein on Monday, marking the first visit to Iraq by an Egyptian leader since the two nations broke ties six years ago over the Camp David accords with Israel.

Mubarak and Hussein held four hours of talks with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein on the Persian Gulf War. Afterwards, the Egyptian president called on Iran to negotiate peace with Iraq and said the Iraqis are in a “good position” and do not need extra military assistance from Jordan or Egypt.

Mubarak did not indicate whether Egypt and Iraq will resume formal diplomatic relations. In September, Jordan restored full relations with Egypt, the first Arab country to do so after 17 Arab nations severed ties with Cairo over the 1979 Camp David peace agreement between Egypt and Israel.

State-owned Jordan television said the three Arab leaders discussed “all aspects and proportions of the Iran-Iraq war” and ways of bringing about an “intensification of Arab efforts in support of Iraq.”

The Egyptian president, speaking at Cairo airport shortly after returning from the 17-hour trip, said Jordan and Egypt will not be providing more military assistance to Iraq, which he said “has enough (military) equipment.” Both nations already supply Iraq in its war against non-Arab Iran.

Mubarak had arrived in Amman early Monday for his second meeting with King Hussein in less than two weeks and briefed the king on his talks last week with President Reagan and West European leaders about new Middle East peace initiatives.