Jordan distanced itself Saturday from an Iraqi opposition meeting in London, saying a Jordanian prince's participation in the forum was an "individual act." More than 200 former Iraqi military officers and opposition leaders attended an open forum in London Friday to discuss how to bring down Saddam Hussein's regime and secure democracy in the Arab state. Prince Hassan, the uncle of Jordan's King Abdullah II and a one-time heir to the throne, attended the meeting, saying he was there as an observer. (Read photo caption)


In Amman, the government said in a statement it was "surprised by this (Hassan's) participation which neither the leadership nor the government knew about."

Hassan's participation "was merely an individual act, which neither represents nor expresses the official position of the state," said the statement, quoting Information Minister Mohammad Affash Adwan. Hassan "holds no official position in the country," Adwan said.

Hassan, 55, has held no public post in Jordan since being deposed in January 1999 as crown prince after holding the title for more than 34 years.

Shortly before dying of cancer the next month, King Hussein accused his younger brother Hassan of power-grabbing and named his eldest son, Abdullah, as his heir.

"Jordan rejects the principle of interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq or any other country," Adwan said in the statement carried by the official Petra news agency.

He reiterated that Jordan "rejects any military action against Iraq" and said the "only way to resolve the problem is through continuing dialogue between Iraq and the United Nations according to resolutions of international legitimacy."

Jordan has denied recent Arab and Western media reports suggesting it would let U.S. troops use Jordanian air bases if America attacks Iraq.

Pro-Iraq Jordanian activists released their own statement "condemning" Hassan's participation at the London meeting.

The Jordanian National Mobilization for the Defense of Iraq also demanded the government "declare Jordan will not be a launching pad or a passage for any forces targeting brotherly Iraq or any other Arab or Muslim country."

Iraq was Jordan's largest foreign trade partner last year, importing Jordanian goods worth about dlrs 700 million. Jordan also receives its daily requirement of 90,000 barrels of Iraqi oil at preferential prices under a U.N. approved deal.

Jordanians are also sympathetic to Iraqis, whose government claims U.N. sanctions imposed on Iraq following its 1990 invasion of Kuwait have killed thousands of civilians.

PHOTO CAPTION

Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan (L) talks with Sharif Ali Hussein (a member of the Iraqi royal family) during the Iraqi National Congress meeting in London convened to discuss the overthrow of President Saddam Hussein, July 12, 2002. Iraqi military officers once loyal to President Saddam Hussein met in London on Friday to discuss the formidable tasks of overthrowing him and ensuring an orderly transition to democratic, civilian rule. REUTERS/Peter Macdiarmid
- Jul 12 3:41 PM ET