Maliki to visit Jordan, Gulf countries

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will embark on a tour of Jordan and some Gulf countries soon, according to a member of Maliki’s Dawlat al-Qanoon (State of Law) bloc on Thursday. “Maliki has received invitations from some Arab countries, including Jordan and some Gulf states. He will decide on the countries to visit soon,” Abdulhadi al-Hassani told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The visits come within the framework of efforts to clarify Iraq’s security, political, economic and service images. They will envisage agreements and understandings of interest to the state, not to the bloc,” he added. Hassani noted that there are some “positive signs by Saudi Arabia, which invited Maliki to pay a visit to it,” adding Iraq wants to have stronger relations with all Arab countries. AmR (P) 1