Iraqi- Jordanian committees for co-operation, key projects approved

In its first meeting, the Iraqi- Jordanian higher committee chaired by the two countries prime ministers Eyad Allawi and Faisal al-Fayez approved the formation of cooperation committees in various fields and drawing the grounds of infrastructure projects of strategic significance for the two states including the installation of an oil pipeline.

Al-Fayez and Allawi signed the minutes of meetings of the first committee in Amman yesterday in conclusion of a meeting which was shortened only to one hour because the two premier were obliged to head for the UAE to give condolences on the death of UAE President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan.

According to a statement circulated by the Jordanian government, the two sides agreed to implement key projects including the rehabilitation of the Jordanian al Karamah border center and the Iraqi Treibel border center, establishing a highway linking al-Aqaba and the Iraqi borders, expanding al-Aqaba port and establishing a free zone at the Iraqi- Jordanian borders and railways links between the two states, establishing the Iraqi- Jordanian crude oil pipelines.

Moreover, ten sectoral committees were established covering military, security, trade, transport, oil and energy, financial co-operation and banking, IT, health cooperation, education and scientific researches, labor and training fields and encouraging investment between the two countries.