Jordan Times
Friday, November 17, 2006
Jordan-Egypt sign 16 cooperation agreements
CAIRO (Petra) — Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on
Thursday met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss bilateral
relations and regional issues.
The meeting followed the conclusion of the 20th session of the Jordanian
Egyptian Joint Higher Committee, which ended here with both sides signing 16
agreements, memoranda of cooperation, protocols and executive programmes related
to the various fields of cooperation.
President Mubarak told Bakhit he had directed concerned authorities to remove
all impediments to the full implementation of the agreements, especially in the
field of pharmaceuticals.
He urged the private sectors in Jordan and Egypt to establish joint ventures,
diversify production and open new markets for products from both countries.
During the closing meeting of the higher committee, co-chaired by Bakhit and his
Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Nazif, the former described the strong Amman-Cairo
ties as not only beneficial to the two countries, but also to “Palestine, Iraq,
Lebanon, Sudan and Somalia.”
When problems and conflicts in these countries end, “the Arab nation will focus
on development and prosperity,” said Bakhit.
The premier, who returned later Thursday to Amman, described ties with Egypt as
“at their best,” but questioned: “Can we hope for development and activation of
other fields like health, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and inter-trade?”
Trade exchange stood in 2005 at $407 million. By the end of third-quarter this
year, it was estimated at $358 million.
The premier said these figures are “below expectations,” adding that the private
sectors’ potential has yet to be realised.
On the political level, Bakhit said Jordan and Egypt see eye-to-eye on the key
issues in the region. “We both agree that a solution to the Palestinian issue
will be the basis of achieving security and development in the region, and will
prevent extremism and incitement.”
He said the situation in Iraq was cause for dismay as violence continues to
escalate.
He also called on the “Sudanese in Darfur and Khartoum” to make peace.
During the meetings, the two sides signed deals in the fields of labour, media,
free zones, public administration, trade exhibitions, investments and enterprise
development, export, industrial modernisation, youth, diplomacy, social
security, culture, science and energy.