Moroccan and Jordanian kings meet

King Mohammed VI, accompanied by Prince Moulay Rachid, conferred Thursday with visiting King Abdullah II, who was flanked by Prince Ali Ibn Al-Hussein and Prince Ghazi Ibn Mohamed.

The two kings, who traded decorations, held a private meeting followed by a dinner banquet in honor of King Abdullah.

A joint communique, released at the end of talks between the two kings, said the two leaders agreed on the need to give a new impetus to the bilateral high joint commission and to convene a commission's meeting the soonest possible to push cooperation to more promising horizons.

The two heads of state lauded the coming into force of a free-exchange accord and another agreement on investment protection. The documents will undoubtedly have a positive impact on economic cooperation between the two states.

The Jordanian king met the same day speakers of the Moroccan house of representatives, Abdelouahed Radi, and the chamber of advisors, Jalal Essaid.

Talks covered the privileged relations binding Rabat and Amman and ways to enhance trade exchanges to the level of political ties, Radi told the Moroccan first television channel RTM after meeting King Abdullah.

Morocco and Jordan agreed in 1998 to set up a high joint commission and concluded several cooperation accords.

Morocco's imports from Jordan were worth $5 million in 1998 against $3 million a year before, while exports stood at $4.2 million the same year against $5.3 million in 1997.

The two states share the same view regarding the defense of Arab causes, especially the Palestinian and Lebanese issues, Radi said.