JORDAN: Turkish Prime Minister Mr Abdullah Gul wrapped up a three-country tour of the Middle East in Jordan yesterday where he discussed minimising the "disastrous" economic and political consequences of a US-led war against Iraq.
Mr Gul told reporters after meeting Jordanian Prime Minister Mr Ali Abu al-Ragheb and King Abdullah that the two countries, which share an extensive border with Iraq, would exert a last effort to avoid war and its damaging consequences.
"We are now all in a difficult situation. Our expectations are that if war occurs the countries in the region will be the losers. . .We are very worried about what will happen after the war," Mr Gul said.
"The consequences of war will be disastrous." Mr Gul earlier visited Syria and Egypt to discuss regional concerns about an Iraq war.
In addition to sharing a border with Iraq, both Jordan and Turkey have extensive economic and trade ties with Baghdad. Iraq tops Jordan's export list and the kingdom depends on Baghdad for its oil consumption.
Mr Abu al-Ragheb briefed Mr Gul on contingency plans to cushion the impact of a possible war on its aid-dependent economy, including plans to get substantial US aid.
Jordan's plans include building a strategic two-month oil stockpile and lending logistical support to international aid bodies that will use Jordan as a transit point for dispatching relief convoys inside Iraq.
Jordan shares Turkey's hopes Washington will compensate both countries for the cost of conflict on their economies.
Senior Jordanian officials told Reuters they were assured of an additional aid package by Washington worth hundreds of millions of dollars to offset the damage of war, in addition to the approximately $450 million Amman already gets each year.
Turkey is also negotiating an aid package designed to reassure international markets and prevent any economic crisis in Turkey if Washington goes to war against Iraq.