Jordan Times
Thursday, July 29, 2004
Ambassadors issue
recommendations
DEAD SEA (Petra) — Jordanian ambassadors, consuls general and Foreign Ministry
officials on Wednesday ended a five- day conference at the Dead Sea by issuing a
set of recommendations to the government urging it to pursue efforts to attract
investment.
In a statement summing up the deliberations, the envoys called on the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs to create task groups to modernise and restructure the
ministry's performance and activities, set up an archives section, and establish
an efficient financial system.
In an effort aimed at supporting the government's attempts to promote the sale
of industrial products abroad, the conference decided to set up a consultative
council to coordinate public-private sector cooperation to assist embassies in
their efforts to market the country abroad.
The conference also discussed means for supporting the national economy through
the country's free trade deals with foreign countries, and requested that the
government provide embassies abroad with sufficient financial support through
the newly formed Foreign Service Fund.
Regional issues were also focused upon with the situation in the Palestinian
territories and Iraq taking up much of the discussions.
In an address at the final session, Jordan's Ambassador to the US Karim Kawar
stressed the important role played by the nation's embassy in Washington. He
noted that the efforts had resulted in the Kingdom securing $350 million in
American aid this year in addition to boosting Jordan's exports to the US
markets from $16 million in the past decade to a current $700 million each year.