Jordan Times
Thursday, March 22, 2007
PM meets with Aspen
Institute delegation
Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on Wednesday received a delegation from the Aspen
Institute, led by former member of the US Congress Mickey Edwards. The
delegation is currently on a visit to the Kingdom to get acquainted with
officials’ views on the latest developments in the Middle East. Bakhit commended
Jordanian-US relations and expressed appreciation of US aid, which contributes
to the implementation of developmental projects in the Kingdom. The premier
reviewed the government’s efforts, under the directives of His Majesty King
Abdullah, to promote democracy and achieve political, economic and social
reforms. Bakhit told the delegates that the Monarch’s address to the US Congress
had accurately analysed the situation in the Middle East and affirmed the
centrality of the Palestinian issue, adding that reaching a fair settlement
would contribute to solving other crises in the region. Bakhit said the Arab
peace initiative, which was approved during the Beirut summit, has practical
elements to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Washington-based Aspen
Institute, founded in 1950, is an international nonprofit organisation dedicated
to fostering enlightened leadership and open-minded dialogue, according to its
website.