Saddam Hussein met his lawyer for the first time in four months today, on the eve of his 68th birthday, the head of the defence team for the former Iraqi president said.
"The president is in good health and good spirits in his illegal captivity," Ziad Khasawneh said.
Mr Khasawneh said Saddam met for six hours with Khalil al-Duleimi, an Iraqi member of the Jordanian-based defence team hired by his family to defend him against charges including killing thousands of Iraqis.
"Duleimi is on his way back to Amman and we will know more details," said Mr Khasawneh, adding Saddam had not had contact with his lawyers since Mr Duleimi saw him at the end of last year.
"The president will play a major role in setting his defence strategy. We have submitted numerous requests to the tribunal through the Iraqi Bar Association to see him over the past months but they only answered us now," he added.
Saddam has been behind bars since he was captured by US forces in December 2003. He is held in a US prison on the edge of Baghdad.
Mr Duleimi said after meeting Saddam four months ago that the former president denied a US account that he surrendered to US forces when found in a hole near his hometown of Tikrit.