Iraq leader 'nearing full health'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6407799.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Iraq's president is "almost back to normal" health, his personal doctor says, four days after he was flown to hospital in neighbouring Jordan.

Jalal Talabani's condition was described as "excellent" by Dr Yedgar Hishmat, speaking to AFP news agency.

The doctor said Mr Talabani was expected to finish his treatment and leave hospital within days.

He denied the overweight 73-year-old had had any procedures for a heart condition, as reported in some media.

Mr Talabani is said to have taken walks and received visitors, though he has not appeared in public since being flown to Amman by US military aircraft late on Sunday.

Speculation

Mr Talabani has been given intravenous fluids and antibiotics, the doctor said.

"This is the simplest sort of treatment a patient receives. Everything is normal. We are being transparent," Dr Hishmat told AFP.

Mr Talabani's admission to the King Hussein Medical Centre has fuelled speculation about more serious problems, including reports of a heart condition and a blood infection.

"The president is in excellent health. His heart is fine. He did not undergo any operation and no virus has been found in his body," spokesman Kameran Karadaghi told a press conference on Wednesday.

Mr Karadaghi said the ailment was caused by fatigue and dehydration resulting from Mr Talabani's heavy workload.

The position of Iraqi president is ceremonial, but Mr Talabani personally holds considerable political and military power as leader of one of Iraqi two main Kurdish parties, the PUK.