KUWAIT CITY, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Jordanian King Abdullah urged support for the Iraqi and Palestinian elections, saying they could help end the Middle East crisis.
"I ask the international community and all concerned parties who are keen on ending the dramatic situation in the region, to offer assistance and support for ensuring successful elections in Iraq and Palestine," Abdullah said in an interview with the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai Thursday.
He said calls by some Iraqis for a boycott of the Jan. 30 elections "is not in the interest of Iraq."
"I tell both the Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq that participation in the elections is the right choice in order to ensure the representation of all factions without exception," Abdullah said. "We are keen on having the Sunni and Shiite communities work together and we will oppose any party that tries to change that."
