Clinton Promises to Seek Forgiveness of Jordan's Debt
President Clinton promised King Hussein of Jordan yesterday to seek forgiveness of Jordan's $700 million debt to the United States, and to ask similar gestures from other creditors, a senior administration official said.</br></br>Clinton made the offer at a White House meeting in which the king said he needed tangible benefits to win public support for his efforts to make peace with Israel, the official said.</br></br>Hussein told reporters Tuesday that Jordan is prepared to move toward peace with Israel even if Syria is not. Known for his caution, he now appears to have made the decision to enter overtly into bilateral agreements with Israel that could culminate in a full peace treaty.</br></br>Clinton told reporters after meeting the king yesterday that he was "very encouraged by where we are now in the whole process."</br></br>In their meeting, however, the king said he needed more than oral support and "made a big deal about his debt problem," an administration official said. Debt service consumes about 30 percent of Jordan's budget.