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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said on Sunday that Jordan had made "real" achievements in the area of political and economic reforms despite the wars raging in neighbouring countries.

During a meeting with chief editors of daily newspapers to discuss domestic issues, Ensour also said the government had submitted to the Lower House the political parties draft law and will also present the municipalities and decentralisation legislation in the coming period.

After the passage of the three bills, the cabinet will present to lawmakers the new elections draft law, Ensour added.

Commenting on the economy, the prime minister said that in spite of the surrounding conditions, all indicators were "good," pointing to a rise in exports and foreign currency reserves as well as growth rising to over 3 per cent and further projected to exceed the 4 per cent mark by the end of the year.

"All these indicate that we are in an upbeat, not a downbeat, atmosphere," he told the journalists.

Ensour also said that capital expenditures, which make growth happen and jobs, had been increased this year, while current expenditures were kept around the 2014 levels, adding that the government had not added a penny to the country's foreign debt, except those resulting from losses incurred by the national electricity company.

Ensour also said that Jordan pinned high hopes on a $5 billion grant by Gulf Arab states to bring the aspired development, adding that 91 per cent of the funding allotted this year had been spent.

Ensour also reiterated that the government is seeking to diversify energy sources to ensure "absolute energy security," adding that the possibility of importing Palestinian gas from the shores of the Gaza Strip and from Cyprus had been on the agenda.

In addition, efforts had been stepped up for gas exploration and to complete the building of two berths to purchase gas in the Gulf of Aqaba this year, he said.

Commenting on other issues, Ensour said no longer was there talk of new corruption, noting that all tenders signed by this government, at an overall value of over JD2 billion, had been conducted with "all integrity and transparency."

*Petra