Jordan Times
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Bakhit reviews regional issues with Kuwaiti counterpart
KUWAIT (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on
Saturday sent an invitation to Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah to
visit Jordan.
Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit delivered the invitation yesterday in a letter that
also highlighted bilateral relations and the need to continue coordination on
the two countries’ positions on issues and challenges confronting the Arab
nation.
Sheikh Sabah highlighted the historical relations between the two countries,
reiterating Kuwait’s keenness to boost bilateral ties.
Sabah and Bakhit said they see eye-to-eye on the Palestinian and Iraqi issues.
They emphasised the importance of helping the Palestinian people overcome the
current difficult conditions they are going through and underlined the
significance of the ongoing political process in Iraq in efforts to restore
stability and security to the country.
Bakhit also met with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Sabah
to discuss mechanisms to bolster economic, commercial and political relations
between the two sides.
The premier outlined difficulties faced by the national economy, pointing out
the measures the government has taken to support limited-income citizens.
The Kuwaiti officials said they understood the current circumstances of Jordan’s
economy as a result of the increasing oil prices and the decline of financial
aid.
The two sides agreed on holding further discussions on this issue.
“Kuwaiti investments are the largest among other Arab investments in Jordan...
This is a substantial evidence of solid economic and commercial relations,”
Bakhit said.
Kuwaiti investments in Jordan are currently estimated at $5 billion.
Bakhit, who returned later in the day to Amman, asserted Jordan’s support for
Lebanon to overcome the difficulties it is facing at the moment.
In an interview with Kuwait’s Al Rai Al Am daily published on Saturday, Bakhit
called for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through negotiations, otherwise
the region’s stability could be undermined.
The premier voiced complete support for the implementation of UN Security
Council resolutions 1559, 242 and 338, calling for international cooperation to
identify the murderers of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.
“What harms Syria harms Jordan,” Bakhit said, adding: “We wish the best for both
Syria and Lebanon, but our stand is clear: Everyone should abide by
international resolutions, we cannot be selective in this regard.”
Referring to dealings with the newly installed Palestinian government, Bakhit
said: “We deal with them in accordance with the national constants and hope that
particularly our brothers in Hamas realistically deal with the Palestinian cause
and take into consideration the position of the world.”
He reiterated that Jordan has no ambitions in the West Bank.
On Iraq, he said Jordan supports the ongoing political process and the formation
of a national unity government representative of all Iraqis to achieve the unity
of stable and democratic Iraq.”
In a press conference at the conclusion of his visit, Bakhit told reporters that
Jordan was concerned about the discovery of weapons smuggled into the country by
Hamas activists.
“We have acquainted the Palestinian Authority on the details of this issue,” he
told the press.