Jordan Times
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
King discusses peace process with US delegation
AMMAN (JT) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday
discussed the peace process and efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
on the basis of the roadmap, with two US congressmen and other delegates
representing the state of Virginia.
The delegation, who arrived on Sunday, is headed by Representative Tom Davis
(R-Virginia), and Jim Morgan (D-Virginia).
The King said his talks with US President George W. Bush, scheduled for this
month, would focus on ways to relaunch the peace process and the situation in
Iraq, in addition to bilateral ties.
Representative Davis is the chairman of the Government Reform Committee and is
also one of the four co-chairs of the Information Technology Working Group.
Representative Moran is a member of the Appropriations Committee and also serves
on the House Budget Committee.
King Abdullah also met with representatives of the North Virginian Technology
Council (NVTAC), which is headed by Congressman Davis. He voiced his
appreciation for the council's initiative to invest in Jordan and set up
partnerships with the private sector in the country, particularly in the
education and IT sectors.
The NVTAC delegation, which accompanied the congressmen on their visit, have met
with a number of officials and were expected to sign agreements with local IT
firms, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said.
The King stressed that Jordan is keen on training human resources in the IT
sector to qualify them to deal with IT companies. He also highlighted moves
Jordan has taken to encourage foreign investment in the country, pinpointing
amendments introduced to relevant legislation in order to ensure they facilitate
investment.
The meeting was attended by Royal Court Minister Samir Rifai, Minister of
Planning and International Cooperation Bassem Awadallah and a number of local IT
investors, along with US Ambassador to Amman Edward Gnehm.
The NVTAC is an association of more than 1,300 member companies from the
Northern Virginia area. They represent all sectors of the technology industry,
including information technology, software, Internet. ISPs, telecommunications,
biotechnology, bio-informatics, aerospace and nanotechnology, as well as the
service providers that support these companies, according to a press statement
issued by the US embassy in Amman.
Congressman Davis and the NVTC members hosted King Abdullah and representatives
of the Jordanian IT sector on Sept. 15, 2003 in Tysons Corner, Virginia, at a
roundtable discussion that explored increasing cooperation and business
opportunities between the IT sectors of Jordan and Northern Virginia. The NVTC's
visit is a follow-on initiative to that discussion, the embassy said.
Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Halaiqa also met Tuesday with the congressmen and
the IT umbrella organisation and briefed them on the outcome of Jordan's
economic correction plans and the reform programmes the Kingdom has adopted and
adhered to despite the harsh regional circumstances, the Jordan News Agency,
Petra, reported.
Citing a success story, Halaiqa briefed the congressmen on the privileges
enjoyed by the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), which were created in 1996 via
an initiative launched by US Congress to support the peace process in the Middle
East.
Later in November 1997, Jordan, Israel, and the US signed an agreement
designating Al Hassan Industrial Estate in Irbid as the Kingdom's first QIZ.