Ensour Opens Symposium on Arab-Turkish Relations

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour has reiterated that the historical ties between Jordan and Turkey are based on shared values and are getting stronger with increasing cooperation between the two countries at all levels. While addressing an international symposium, titled "Common Denominators and Cultural Exchange Between Turks and Arabs", Ensour stressed "the need to cement relations between the two countries, especially when setting an example on bilateral relations".

"The foreign policies of both countries are similar, so we have a common vision on several political and economic issues," he noted. The prime minister said His Majesty King Abdullah II's visit to Turkey in March opened new horizons for Jordanian-Turkish ties. Ensour added that he himself had recently returned from an official visit to Turkey, during which he met several officials in the public and private sectors. Ensour said he discussed several political, economic and other issues during his visit, adding that a Turkish trade delegation will visit the Kingdom on May 20, which will be followed by a visit of Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, and the signing of a trade pact between the two countries.

During his visit to Jordan, Erdo?an will attend the commissioning of a Turkish free trade zone in Aqaba, through which Turkish products will be re-exported to eastern and southern Africa, the prime minister said. Ensour added that he will hold talks with his Turkish counterpart on establishing Turkish factories in Al Mafraq area in order to revive the land trade between the two countries, which had been negatively affected by the Syrian crisis. He pointed out that the two countries see eye to eye on most Arab issues, especially on the Palestinian problem which Ensour described as an "Arab wound" and as the mother of all issues and troubles in the Middle East. "Turkey has a significant impact on moving forward peace efforts between the Palestinians and Israelis," Ensour said. The prime minister noted that both Jordan and Turkey had moderate views on regional issues and adopt moderate Islam which calls for love, peace, freedom.