Waldheim Finally Gets First State Invitation-from Jordan

Jordan is the first nation to invite President Kurt Waldheim for an official visit since he was elected last July after a campaign during which his Nazi past was exposed.

Waldheim’s virtual isolation by the international community was broken by Jordan’s King Hussein, who is in Austria on a skiing holiday. They had a 75-minute meeting at the Hofburg Palace Thursday after which the President’s Office announced that the King extended an invitation for a State visit to Jordan later this year. The date will be set through diplomatic channels.

Until now, world leaders have kept their distance from Waldheim. Massive evidence unearthed last year showed that he was at least fully aware of Nazi atrocities committed against Jews and others in the Balkans while serving there as a Wehrmacht intelligence officer during World War II, and may have been indirectly involved with them. He was wanted in Yugoslavia for war crimes after the war and was listed as a war criminal in the files of the United Nations War Crimes Commission.

HASN’T MADE OFFICIAL TRIP

Although as President of Austria, largely a ceremonial office, his functions would normally include official trips abroad, Waldheim has not left the country since his election. His only important contact with foreign diplomats occurred during the first week of the Vienna Follow-Up Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe last year. The Foreign Ministers of six European countries paid courtesy calls on the President.

But others, including U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, boycotted Waldheim and made it clear that they went to Vienna only on condition that they would not meet him, either officially or accidentally.

According to the President’s Office, Waldheim and Hussein discussed bilateral matters and the Middle East situation. Waldheim gave a dinner for the King Wednesday evening.