Jordan’s King Calls for Arab Talks on Crisis

King Hussein called Sunday for pan-Arab talks to augment a U.S.-Iraqi dialogue aimed at resolving the Persian Gulf crisis and to ensure that any resolution is linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“We call for an Arab-Arab dialogue that is parallel to the American-Iraqi dialogue on the gulf crisis because the issue is one of prime concern to the Arabs,” the king said in a speech to army officers.

Analysts here say that the monarch thinks the Bush Administration’s decision to speak directly to Baghdad might encourage Washington’s Arab allies to break ranks and negotiate with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

King Hussein has been trying to revive his self-appointed role as a mediator in the gulf conflict. He backs a settlement that would compel Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait but that would also recognize Iraqi claims to Kuwaiti oil fields and territory.

Last week, the king met with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. Yasser Arafat, who heads the Palestine Liberation Organization, and Yemeni Vice President Ali Salim Bidh also attended the meeting. Jordan, the PLO and Yemen have expressed sympathy for Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

King Hussein also suggested that an international conference to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian dispute should take place “at the time when the implementation of (U.N.) Security Council resolutions regarding Kuwait begins.”

It was not clear whether he meant that the conference should take place immediately, now that Saddam Hussein has agreed to release foreign hostages.