Jordan Times
Sunday, April 26, 1998
Regent, Lebanese central bank governor discuss
bilateral economic ties
AMMAN (Petra) — HRH Crown Prince Hassan received at the
Royal Court the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riyad
Salameh, with whom he discussed means of bolstering bilateral
economic ties.
During the meeting, which was attended by the governor of the
Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ), Ziyad Fariz, and Lebanese
Ambassador William Habib, the Crown Prince underlined the need
for strengthening Arab cooperation in economic, financial and
monetary fields, particularly at the current stage, to better
serve the Arab World and improve the living conditions of Arab
citizens.
For his part, Dr. Salameh briefed the Crown Prince on the latest
financial and banking developments in Lebanon and praised the
level of cooperation between the CBJ and the Central Bank of
Lebanon.
In an earlier meeting with Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour,
Dr. Salameh reviewed issues of common concern to the two
countries as well as the peace process and Israel’s
occupation of southern Lebanon.
Dr. Ensour told the Lebanese official that Jordan supports
efforts to achieve a comprehensive peace and demands that U.N.
Security Council Resolution 425 on southern Lebanon be
implemented unconditionally.
In reviewing the economic situation in the Middle East, Dr.
Salameh outlined the Central Bank of Lebanon’s activities
and plans to improve the Lebanese economy. He stated that Beirut
is going ahead with plans to promote economic, financial and
monetary cooperation with Arab countries.
The meeting was also attended by Ambassador Habib and Mr. Fariz.
Earlier Saturday, the Cabinet, meeting in a regular session
chaired by Dr. Ensour, approved a $78 million American grant to
Jordan. A sum of $60 million will be used for water projects,
while the rest will finance a programme to create jobs.
In a statement after the meeting, the Cabinet said the grant is
part of the $225 million U.S. financial assistance to Jordan this
year, of which $75 million will be in the form of military aid.
The Cabinet announced that the government will exempt refugees
whose cases are being processed by the Amman office of the U.N.
Higher Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) from paying value added
taxes on air tickets. This decision applies to those refugees
voluntarily leaving the country once UNHCR secures them a safe
destination.
The Cabinet formed a delegation from the ministries of planning
and water and irrigation to hold talks with the European
Investment Bank in Luxembourg from April 28-May 1 to obtain a
loan to help finance the replacement of the water network in the
Amman region. The Ministry of Planning has already secured most
of the estimated JD250 million required for the project.
Another delegation was formed to visit Kuwait early next month
for negotiations with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social
Development on a loan to purchase medical equipment for King
Abdullah Hospital at the Jordan University of Science and
Technology.