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Ammon News - Amman, (Petra) Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki on Monday led ministers and officials from the two countries at their joint higher committee's seventh session to discuss prospects for enhancing cooperation in economic, trade and other fields.

The premiers signed minutes of the committee meeting during talks Maliki had with His Majesty King Abdullah II in which the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in a number of economic and trade sectors after Iraq agreed to allow the transit of Jordanian trucks and goods through its territory. Iraq also expressed satisfaction with the new mechanism for the transit of Iraqi dates across Jordanian territory and also agreed on the entry of Jordanian farm produce the year round and to validate an agreement to set up a free trade zone signed in 2009.

In energy and mineral resources, the Iraqi side agreed to give "the necessary flexibility" for Jordan to receive deliveries of crude oil from the Kirkuk and/or Basra oil fields by land or sea with the possibility of raising the amount of oil. The Iraqis also agreed to double the amount of heavy fuel exports to Jordan from 30,000 tons a month to 60,000 tons at current prices.

The two sides agreed to speed up measures to set up a pipeline with a one million barrels capacity to export Iraqi oil through the port of Aqaba in addition to supplying the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company with its needs of crude oil. Moreover, the Iraqi side agreed to increase the capacity of the gas pipeline in order to supply the oil pipeline's pumps with fuel and provide Jordan with its needs of Iraqi natural gas. Welcoming Maliki and his delegation, comprising his ministers of oil, transport, trade and agriculture, Ensour said the visit reflected the deep and distinguished relations between the two neighbouring countries, adding: "We positively view this visit with a genuine desire to bolster bilateral ties which were fostered by the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II and President Jalal Talabani." He wished the president a speedy recovery.

He commended Maliki's "sincere efforts to advance cooperation, adding that Jordanians are awaiting a positive outcome from the visit which they hope will be a further boost to the already strong ties between the two countries. Ensour thanked Baghdad for its economic support for Jordan to counter economic challenges.

The Iraqi premier said his country is looking forward to forging closer cooperation and integration with Jordan at a difficult phase in the region and the Arab world, stressing that today's talks were a strong sign that the two countries are serious to bolster ties and enforce signed agreements especially that they had a strong political will to overcome hurdles.

He referred to such areas of wider cooperation as trade, agriculture and exports via the Port of Aqaba in addition to political, media and security cooperation.