Japan finances King Hussein's bridge

It was officially announced in Amman on Thursday the beginning of a project, inaugurated by Japan to build a new bridge in the name of the late Jordanian King Hussein on the Jordan river, linking the Jordanian territories to the west bank at a cost of US $ 9.7 million.

In a celebration held at the site, the Jordanian minister of public works Hosni Abu Gheida and the Japanese ambassador in Amman Kawashi Matsomoto laid the foundation stone for the bridge and thereby the announced that the Japanese " Sometomo" will carry out and finish this dam before March 2001.

In a speech he made the Jordanian minister highly appreciated Japan's active Participation in the peace efforts in the region. He considered the " establishment of this bridge is a main and effective step to consolidate peace in the region and a clear evidence on the Japanese contribution to the peace process through financing the bridge project and the road leading to it."

For his part, the Japanese ambassador expressed his hope that the project would contribute to " developing the area economically through developing trade and industrial exchange and improving tourism."

However, the Japanese donation to finance the project is considered part of several donations estimated at US $ 400 million to be offered by Tokyo to Amman between the years 200 to 2003. This donation was declared during the visit of the Jordanian King Abdullah II to Tokyo in January this year.