His Majesty King Abdullah II affirmed on Monday the importance of supporting Palestinian leadership to hold nationwide election and enable it to go back to negotiation table as a true partner in peace.



Its time to move seriously towards the two-state solution which is the basis for lasting peace, His Majesty reiterate.



His Majesty said during his meeting with Japanese Premier Junichiro Koizumi, to put an end to the devastation violence cycle and the suffering of Palestinian need to work in serious steps towards peace and establishing Palestinian state meets the
Palestinian people aspiration.


The King called on the international community, includes Japan, to move and assist Palestinian leadership to support its efforts to build its national institutes to assume its
responsibility to face challenges.


Attending the meeting were Prime Minister Faisal Fayez, Minister of Royal Court Samir Al Rafai, Foreign Minister Hani Mulki, and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Bassam Awadallah.



On Iraqi issue, His Majesty stressed that Iraqi Shiites and Sunnis
should hold sacred, Iraq's Arab allegiance. Iraqis should reject any
external interference in Iraq's internal affairs.



Iraq urgently needs a legitimate and inclusive political
system. Its important that the upcoming election be held soon as
possible and it is also important that they be inclusive. Sunnis
should take part in the up coming election for better future for
their country.


Koizumi commended his Majesty King Abdullah's efforts to
bring peace and entrench security and stability in the region as
well as the reform steps taken by Jordan in different walk of life.
The Premier has announced the allocation of $4o million as
assistance to Jordan to carry out some developmental projects during
next year. He also stressed that Japan works hard to enhance
cooperation with Jordan and to persist its financial and technical
support to Jordan in different scopes.


His Majesty reiterated the Arab-Israeli conflict and
establishing democratic and viable Palestinian state lives in peace
next to Israel and build democratic, violence-free Iraq are very
important components to entrench peace in the region.



"To create a positive and suitable climate for regional reformation
and development and to achieve better future for the upcoming
generation it needs the international efforts to get involved in
prevailing just and lasting peace in the region 'the King noted.



During the meeting attended by the delegation, His Majesty
said that in Jordan, the reform process is well under way. Our
country made structural changes embed human rights and build
democratic political life, Jordan forged a head in economic and
political reforms to build modern Jordan based on respect, belief in
the rule of law.



His Majesty the King affirmed to Japanese economic figures
that lucrative investment climate in Jordan provides great number of
incentives before Japanese investors and they can benefit from the
worldwide agreements Jordan concludes with Arab and foreign
countries.



King Abdullah II indicated to the legislations,
administrative and judicial reform which enhance investors'
confidence in the success of their investment projects in Jordan.



"Jordan has got trained and highly qualified labor besides
Jordan enjoys higher percentage of education among Arab countries
which makes it vital hub for investment, Jordan determines to become
a pioneering developmental model in the region, His Majesty the King
stressed, reviewing Jordan's experiment in developing and
modernizing education training and rehabilitating manpower to meet
the national economy needs and investment.



His Majesty the King highlighted the role of the private sector
saying that Jordan has activated the private sector's role to become
a true and active partner in the economic process and it helps
create jobs opportunities which seeks to improve the standard of the
citizens' life.



King Abdullah II called for the private sectors in Jordan
and Japan to enhance relation of cooperation indicating to
the investment opportunities in Jordan, top of which the development
of Aqaba Special Economic Zone, Jordanian-Egyptian Gas project , the
two-sea canal and Desi water basin.



"The economic reform Jordan has adopted
last 10 years leads to increase Jordanian exports in the first ten
months to reach 43 per cent compared to same period last year.
Jordan's foreign debts dropped by 190 per cent of gross domestic
product in 1989 to 120 per cent in 1999 to stand at 70 per cent in
this year.



King Abdullah noted the drop in budget deficit to 3.9 per
cent this year combined with a rise in foreign currency reserve
up to $4.8 dollars which indicates monetary stability in the
Kingdom. "We are moving forward in the right track and our economy
is growing properly," the King told his audience.



For his part Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez said the
economic march has accomplished a qualitative leap due to
the sound policy of economic reform over the recent years. He noted
the great positive impact of the Japanese government's assistance to
Jordan which contributed a lot to back the country's efforts to
relieve the effect of poverty and unemployment. Fayez also outlined
the Jordanian government's measures to improve the investment
ambiance and attract more foreign capitals.



King Abdullah had another meeting with Chairman of the
Japanese Business Association (JBA)Hiroshi Okoda, who hailed
Jordan's economic achievements and the steps taken to integrate into
the global economy.



Okoda, who is also Board Chairman of Toyota paid tribute
to Jordan's economic reform plans which have yielded fruit in
realizing positive economic growth over the past years leaving its
positive impact on people's lives.



JBA is one of the most vital economic organizations in Japan
and it groups about 1623 of leading businessmen representing
nearly 1300 of major companies including Toyota, Sony, Toshiba and
Nippon.



King Abdullah also met Chairman of Japan's External
Trade Organization (JETRO) Osamu Watanabe. The organization attempts
to promote Japan's foreign trade and investment activities with
various world countries. " We are proud to meet His Majesty the King
who is trying to promote Jordan's exports to the Japanese
market," said Watanabe, who affirmed the Japanese businessmen's
desire to invest in Jordan and to take as a springboard to get to
the Iraqi market.



King Abdullah had another meeting with Vice President of
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Atsushi Hata Kinada,
who said JICA offers all types of technical assistance to Jordan to
help enhance its role in the region.



JICA, established in Aug. 1974, is an agency designed to
implement Japan's technical cooperation with world
countries. The agency provides assistance to Jordan covering
areas of health care, water, education, industrial development,
environment protection and investment promotion, Kinada said.



King Abdullah also met Governor of Japan's Bank for
International Cooperation Keyasuki Shinzwa, who underlined Jordan's
vital role in developing the regional economy. He affirmed the
bank's readiness to continue assisting Jordan in various fields. The
bank has already aided tourist and human resources development
projects in the Kingdom.



Jordan is one of the countries that benefit most of
Japan's aid program to the region. Japan has offered soft
loans totaling $1800 million until 2001.



In 1999, Jordan received a package of economic aid reaching
$400 million covering three years to help relieve debt burden on
Jordan. The Kingdom also received a 100 million Japanese grant in
2003 to overcome economic and social problems resulting from the war on Iraq.