Sharon in Jordan to strengthen trade

Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan met on Monday in Amman with Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon and Trade and Economy Minister Natan Sheransky. Talks dealt with means of strengthening trade and economic relations between Jordan and Israel.

Israeli radio said the two sides discussed the agreement to establish a third joint industrial area in the Jordanian al-Mafriq district, means of exporting commodities produced in the joint industrial areas to other countries and offering more customs facilities to several items exchanged between Jordan and Israel.

The radio added that the meeting also centered on studying lists of the commodities the Palestinians are permitted to import from Jordan as set in the Wye Plantation agreement. The radio added that the Palestinian government had asked Israel not to inform Jordan about this matter under the justification that there is a contradiction between the Jordanian and Palestinians interests concerning several commodities Jordan seeks to export to the Palestinian areas.

Israeli radio noted that Sharon and Sheransky were to brief Crown Prince Hassan on the latest developments concerning the implementation of the Wye agreement. Meanwhile, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Majla Wihbi has asserted that Israel gives special priority to trade and economic cooperation with Jordan.

Wihbi expected that the Amman meeting would result in a series of agreements to strengthen Israeli - Jordanian economic cooperation.