Prince Hassan: Division Of Iraq Can Have Domino Effect On Regional Countries

ANKARA - Prince Hassan Al Tallal of Jordan referred to the importance of protection of Iraqi territorial integrity, stating that ''the division of Iraq can have a domino effect on regional countries and within itself.''
Speaking in a news conference after the two-day meetings held by the non-governmental organization Rome Club, Hassan said that the Club brought together important politicians, businessmen and academicians from 50 countries. During the meetings in Ankara, the attendees focused on the methods of solving the problems in the region.
Recalling that the destiny of the Middle East region was determined by foreign powers, rather than regional countries for years, Prince Hassan said that 70 percent of the refugees in the world is Muslim.
Prince Hassan stressed that the region should be cleared out from all the weapons of mass destruction including those of Israel and a common basis has to be created to ensure security in the region.
Hassan said that the Middle East oil is not benefitted well and it does not yield much positive results for the regional countries.
Upon a question about the effects of a possible U.S. operation, on the regional stability, Hassan said that Turkey and Jordan come the first among countries which were affected negatively from the Gulf Crisis.
''The situation in the region now, reminds me of Yugoslavia three years ago,'' said Prince Hassan and referred to the ''Balkanization danger'' in the region. Prince Hassan said that there is distinction between federation based on ethnic differences and federation based on geographic differences, adding that ethnic differences cause hatred among people like the case in the Balkans. ''Something must be done before the region turns into the Balkans, it is not that late,'' he said.
Hassan said that the countries in the region have spent 300 billion U.S. dollars for armament recently and added that the other problems like infrastructure in the region could be solved with a small part of this amount.
When asked why he attended the Iraq opposition meeting which was held in London although he was a member of a royal family of a neighbour country of Iraq, Hassan said that he did not go to London as a member of a royal family and stated he underlined that Iraq's territorial integrity should be protected in his speech and listened to the other representatives in the meeting. Jordanian government had said that Prince Hassan's participation in the Iraqi opposition meeting which was held in London in mid-July was a self-motivated behaviour, and that he did not represent the country there.