His Majesty King Abdullah on Friday met Singaporean President S. R. Nathan and Prime Minster Lee Hsein Loong for talks on bilateral relations and the political situation in the Middle East.



The King told the two officials that Jordan was keen to develop economic ties with Singapore and to benefit from the country's expertise in the economic and technological spheres.



The King discussed investment opportunities in the Kingdom and emphasized the importance of promoting cooperation between the business communities of the two countries.



The King, Nathan and Loong agreed to activate signed bilateral agreements.



Talks during the meeting also covered education sector reform and restructuring. The King said Jordan was eager to share its expertise in this field with Singapore and to admit Singaporean students to Jordanian universities.



During the meeting, also attended by HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, the King's personal envoy and special advisor, King Abdullah also outlined the contents of Amman Message and his efforts to clarify the principles of Islam. The King said terrorism is alien to Islam, which has played a vital role in serving humanity over the ages.



King Abdullah also briefed the Singaporean president and the prime minister on some of the prominent infrastructure projects that will be implemented in Jordan, such as the Red-Dead Canal, an initiative to pump water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.



On the situation in the Palestinian territories, the King said continued support for the Palestinian people remains vital to alleviating their suffering. He said international efforts needed to be intensified to resume the peace process to realize a two-state solution and establish security and stability in the region.



The King said that sectarian strife in Iraq could threaten the entire region and said he hoped for the emergence of a new Iraqi government representative of all segments of Iraqi society.



Meanwhile, the Singaporean president and the prime minister said they hoped that bilateral cooperation in all fields would expand under a bilateral free trade agreement. They commended King Abdullah's vital role in the Middle East.



The King also met with Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and the first Singaporean minister for discussion on several issues of common concern. The Singaporean officials expressed readiness to provide seats for Jordanian students at Singaporean universities.



Prime Minister Loong hosted a banquet in honor of the King and the accompanying delegation.



The King's visit to Singapore follows his participation last year in the Asian Meeting, born out of the World Economic Forum. Jordan and Singapore have bilateral investment agreements and cooperation protocols in the information technology, transport, tourism and cultural sectors. Jordan's exports to Singapore reached US$2 million in 2004. Singapore's exports to Jordan are valued at $12 million.



King Abdullah's working visit to Singapore was preceded by a two-day visit to the Sultanate of Brunei, where he met Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on mechanisms of promoting bilateral relations, especially in the economic and cultural spheres. The King returned to Jordan on Friday.