•JERUSALEM. Aug 7: Jordan on Saturday proposed an Iraqi role In the Middle East peace process, saying it could join multilateral talks with Israel on security, economic coopef-atlon and water, reports AFP.
T think Iraq can play an important role in these matters. Jordanian Information Minister Jawad Anai told Israeli Radio.
"In Israeli’s definition of regional security, it always’ refers to Iraq. We shall address the question to Israel if they want Iraq to be Involved in the multilateral negotiations on issues like security."
There are also issues tike
economic cooperation and water. However, if Iraq will take such a decision, we will have to wait and see."
Anai's comments came after a report in the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharanot on Friday that secret meetings had taken place between Iraqi and Israeli officials.
Iraq on Saturday denied the report. .
No meeting took place between an Iraqi military officials and an Israeli official, neither last month nor at any other date." a spokesman at the Iraqi Embassy in Amman told AFP.
The newspaper said that Baghdad vowed in the secret
meetings. not to oppose the breakthrough in peace talks between Jordan and Israel, who last month signed a Washington declaration formally ending their state of war.
Iraq also offered to take part in the Middle East peace process in exchange for the lifting of the UN embargo imposed on Baghdad after its Invasion of Kuwait In August 1990. according to Yediot Aharanot.
Iraq, a sworn enemy of Israel fired Scud missiles at Israel during the January February 1991 Gulf War which evicted ' Iraqi troops from Kuwait.
Reuter adds: S'/ria said on Saturday it had no thing new to offer US Secreta ry of State Warren Cki^topt ler, who has started a Middle East tour to break a deadlock in Syrian-Israeli peace talk s.
It also slammjd Jordan and the PLO for signing separate peace deals with Israel.
The goternraent daily Al-Thawra dismissed talk that significant pro gress might be imminent.
Damascus rejected an Israeli proposal for a staged withdrawal from parts of the Golan over eight years in return for establishment of full normal relations.