March 11, 2002	Monday	Zilhaj 26, 1422

AMMAN, March 10: Jordan’s King Abdullah said on Sunday that any US attack against Iraq would have catastrophic repercussions on the oil-rich country and the Middle East region.

The king held talks with a senior envoy of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in Amman on the eve of a regional tour by US Vice President Dick Cheney that includes stops in Jordan and three other countries bordering Iraq.

“His Majesty...stressed Jordan’s rejection of using force against Iraq,” Jordan’s state Petra news agency quoted the king as saying during his meeting with Izzat Ibrahim, vice-chairman of Iraq’s Revolutionary Command Council.

Petra said King Abdullah warned “that striking Iraq represents a catastrophe to Iraq and the region in general and threatens the security and stability of the region”.

ECEVIT: Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said in Ankara on Sunday the threat of a US attack on Iraq was proving a nightmare for Turkey and he would tell that to US Vice President Dick Cheney when he visits Ankara this month. “An attack on Iraq will seriously affect Turkey...Turkey’s economy is resting on very sensitive balances,” Mr Ecevit told the state-run news channel TRT.

“We will try to explain that to our American friends. We don’t know their plans. Did they make any new decisions? When Vice President Cheney comes we’ll discuss this very openly.”

Mr Ecevit said the threat of a US operation against Baghdad was unnerving Turkish markets and deterring much-needed foreign investment to help meet IMF-backed economic growth targets.—Reuters