Jordan Times
Monday, October 22, 2007
King applauds Germany’s G-11 support
AMMAN (JT) - His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday
expressed appreciation for Germany’s support in helping the G-11 realise
economic growth as well as international stability and security.
King Abdullah lauded Germany’s continued support for the Lower Middle-Income
Countries Initiative (G-11) to promote bilateral ties among the 11 member states
and build fruitful relationship with advanced countries, especially the G-8.
The Monarch made his remarks during a meeting yesterday with Bernd Pfaffenbach,
the administrative secretary of state in the federal ministry of economics and
technology. Talks at the meeting focused on cooperation between the Kingdom and
Germany in political and economic arenas.
Meeting on the sidelines of the Word Economic Forum held at the Dead Sea earlier
this May, the group of 11 countries, which was developed by King Abdullah in
September 2006, agreed on a plan of cooperation with the developed nations of
the G-8 to ease debt and help reform their economies.
The group includes Croatia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Georgia, Honduras, Indonesia,
Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay and Sri Lanka.
At Sunday’s meeting, King Abdullah thanked Germany for aiding the Kingdom
purchase its debts owed to Germany. The German official in turn stressed his
country’s eagerness to develop political and economic bilateral ties.
Also yesterday, the King received a delegation from the World Federation of
Neurosurgical Societies, headed by the federation’s president, Jacques Brotchi.
King Abdullah voiced his appreciation of the federation’s decision to nominate
the Kingdom to host its 15th conference, to be held in 2013.
The Monarch also welcomed the idea of establishing an international centre
specialised in brain and nerve surgery in the Kingdom, noting that such a
project would enhance the country’s medical and healthcare services.
A total of 6,000 physicians and representatives of medical institutions and
media organisations are expected to attend the event. Jordan is competing with
Argentina, China, Indonesia, Japan and Korea to host the conference.
Head of the conference’s preparation committee, Ibrahim Sbeih, said that King
Abdullah’s meeting with the international neurosurgeons increases the Kingdom’s
chances of hosting the event, adding that the winning country event will be
named on November 20 in Nagoya, Japan.
Also Sunday, the King received Giovanni Bisignani, the director general and CEO
of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and an accompanying
delegation currently on a visit to the Kingdom.
During the meeting, King Abdullah and the delegation discussed means to enhance
cooperation between the Kingdom and IATA to build on the success of Royal
Jordanian airlines (RJ). HRH Prince Feisal, RJ Board Chairman Nasser Lawzi, RJ
President and CEO Samer Majali and IATA vice president for the Middle East and
North Africa region attended the meeting.
Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit also met with Bisignani, who voiced appreciation of
the government’s support, noting that IATA will expand its Amman office and
increase its activities.
Bisignani also stressed the importance of the Kingdom’s role in the global
aircraft industry, especially in light of the privatisation of Royal Jordanian
and RJ’s recent membership in the oneworld Alliance.
Bisignani also congratulated Royal Jordanian CEO Samer Majali on being elected
chairman of the IATA board of governors.