His Majesty King Abdullah II on Tuesday morning discussed with Romanian Prime Minster Adrian Nastasi mechanisms to further develop bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and the latest Middle East developments.



In the meeting attended by members of the delegation accompanying His Majesty and a number of Romanian ministers, the two sides agreed on increasing economic cooperation between Jordan and Romania, particularly in the field of energy, water and telecommunications, where a Jordanian delegation is going to visit Romania to discuss energy projects, particularly in electricity distribution.



His Majesty stressed Jordan's readiness to support cooperation and coordination between Jordanian and Romanian firms in the field of rebuilding Iraq.



His Majesty expressed hope of increasing the volume of Jordanian exports to Romania and to intensive cultural cooperation and exchange of expertise and scholarships between the two countries.



His Majesty discussed with Romanian Prime Minister the future situation of Iraq under the light of current preparations to handover sovereignty to the Iraqi people. He affirmed the necessity that UN should have the major role in drawing Iraq's future.



Romanian Prime Minister, whose country is expected to hold the Security Council's presidency next July, affirmed that Romania will support the international tendency to lay stability in Iraq and let the UN have an outstanding role in building Iraq's institutions.



Separately, During his meeting with Romanian businessmen, His Majesty urged for establishing a Jordanian Romanian Businessmen Council in order to contribute to increasing trade exchange and installing joint investment ventures between the two countries.



Addressing directors of Romanian firms of water, tourism, energy, oil, gas, transportation, among others, His Majesty said that Jordan is keen to develop trade and investment relations with Romania, as Jordan affords attractive investment ambience proper for foreign investors.



We In Jordan have remarkable relations between private and public sectors and look forward towards active partnership from the Romanian private sector in such projects, His Majesty said. He pointed out that Jordan has numerous agreements with international groups, where the Romanian private sector could benefit from.



Jordan has managed to invest in its human resources through development of education and achieving 3,2 per cent economic growth last year, and we look forward to make growth reach 6 percent in 2006, His M ajesty said.



He called on Romanian businessmen to establish partnership with the Jordanian private sector to participate in rebuilding Iraq and to take Jordan as their gate to enter Iraq.



Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Basem Awadallah said that His Majesty King Abdullah's talks with Croatian, Czech and Romanian officials focused on the Middle East issue, the outcome of the Arab summit in Tunisia, preparations for the G8 summit in Atlanta and Iraq.