His Majesty King Abdullah II held talks at the Elysee Palace with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on means of boosting bilateral cooperation, the Euro-Med partnership and the situation in the Middle East.

The two leaders expressed their satisfaction with the level of economic, investment and energy ties.

The King and Sarkozy also discussed efforts by France and the EU to achieve stability in the Middle East, as well as developments in Lebanon and Iraq.

His Majesty said France has a key role as current EU president in insuring active EU involvement in peace efforts in the Middle East.

The King and Sarkozy also witnessed the signing of the Protocol to the Agreement on the Peaceful use of Nuclear Energy which would enhance and institutionalize cooperation in the nuclear field between the different Jordanian and French agencies. They also witnessed the signing of a letter of intent between the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and AREVA which will result in an agreement on exploration for uranium mining in central Jordan in near future.

In a joint communiqué issued after their talks, King Abdullah and President Sarkozy emphasized their commitment to deepen their ties, especially through the expansion of trade and economic relations and cooperation in key strategic areas.

Following is the full text of the Jordanian-French joint declaration:

Joint declaration following the meeting between His Majesty King Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and His Excellency Mr. Nicholas Sarkozy, President of the Republic of France

Within the context of the strong bilateral ties that bind the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Republic of France in various fields, and the determination of both countries to enhance these relations,

The parties emphasized their commitment to enhance their cooperation on bilateral and multilateral issues of common concern.

In the bilateral context, Jordan and France expressed their satisfaction with the strong ties between the two countries at every level and reiterated their commitment to deepen the Jordanian-French relationship, especially through the expansion of trade and economic relations and cooperation in key strategic areas.

In this regard, the two parties welcomed the signing today of the Protocol to the Agreement on the Peaceful use of Nuclear Energy which would enhance and institutionalize cooperation in the nuclear field between the different Jordanian and French agencies.

The parties also welcome the signing of a letter of intent between the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) and AREVA and look forward to the signing of the Exploration Agreement for Uranium Mining in Central Jordan between JAEC and AREVA in the near future.

The two sides also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Political Coordination, by the foreign ministers of Jordan and France last May, which would enhance the level of cooperation to achieve the strategic interests of both countries.

His Majesty King Abdullah II reiterated Jordan's gratitude for France's support for the alleviation of Jordan's external debt burden, through the early debt buyback of a substantial part of the Paris Club debt last March, and through the bilateral mechanism of debt to equity swap, which has successfully contributed to increasing the level of French private direct investment in Jordanian projects and companies.

On the regional level, the parties stressed the importance of advancing the Middle East peace process towards the establishment of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. The parties reaffirmed their attachment to a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict in accordance with UN resolutions, the Madrid principles and the Arab Peace Initiative. Both parties expressed their desire and commitment to work closely together towards this objective, which will help establish stability and security in the region.

The parties also asserted the centrality of the role the European Union in Middle East peace-making, and reiterated their strong belief in the importance of cooperation between the countries of the Union and Middle East-North African region in all fields: political, economic, cultural and social.

In this regard, Jordan and France will endeavour to convene the Jordan-EU Council Meeting during the French presidency of the European Union.

The two parties also concur that the Union for the Mediterranean can be an effective mechanism to give fresh impetus to the Barcelona Process and deepen the strategic relations between and among the partners of the Euro-Mediterranean region in the interest of peace, security, development and mutual prosperity.

With regards to the situation in Iraq, both sides express their support for efforts to achieve national reconciliation through an inclusive political process that ensures the stability, unity and security of Iraq.

The two parties also expressed their satisfaction with the positive developments in the bilateral relations between Lebanon and Syria, signalled recently by the decision to establish diplomatic ties between the two countries. The two parties expressed their support for the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Lebanon, and for the Lebanese national institutions.

Jordan and France also concur that a diplomatic solution to the international tension over Iran's attempts to acquire nuclear capabilities is the desired route, in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, and would contribute to the security and stability of the Middle East.