Ammon News - Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh on Saturday emphasized the need to speed up the implementation of planned strategic projects between Jordan and Iraq so that the "sectors and peoples of both countries feel their positive impact".

Welcoming Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals Manhal Aziz, the prime minister underlined that both nations are keenly interested in launching a border economic estate project, and building a pipeline to ship Iraqi crude via the Kingdom.

On the proposed economic estate, Khasawneh called for an immediate start of the project, which is planned to be built on the Jordanian-Iraqi border to revitalize passenger and freight flow and open the door for joint investments.

The prime minister indicated that the Basra-Aqaba-Egypt pipeline project will open up a new "export window" for Iraq and, at the time, supply Jordan with part of its crude needs, in addition to setting up logistical zones and petrochemical projects in the three countries.

He stressed that the leaders of the countries are keen to expand trilateral economic cooperation and integration, which he described as "a fundamental and strategic issue for the three countries and an entry point for broader cooperation with other Arab countries."

Khasawneh directed the Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply to visit Baghdad in the coming days, at the head of a private sector delegation, to discuss opportunities and areas of joint cooperation and overcome any obstacles to intra-trade movement.

The Iraqi minister said his country is keen to launch joint and strategic projects with Jordan "in a way that contributes to strengthening trade and investment cooperation between them, and also with the Arab Republic of Egypt". (Petra)