Jordan, Israel for strengthening relations

Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon has expressed Israel's keenness to strengthen relations with Jordan in various fields.

Sharon's statements were made on Wednesday afternoon, prior to his meeting with the chairman of the Jordanian royal court Jawad al-Anani who arrived in Israel in a short visit during which he held talks on implementing Wye plantation agreements and latest developments concerning the Iraqi crisis.

In the afternoon, the Israeli President Ezra Weisman met with al-Anani. Talks dealt with the regional implications of the Wye plantation agreement. Present at the meeting were the ambassadors of the US and Jordan to Israel. By the end of the meeting Weisman spoke on the telephone with King Hussein and congratulated him on his birthday and expressed best wishes for his speedy recovery.