Additional US aid for Jordanian treasury

Jordanian Prime Minister Dr Fayez Tarawneh Amman - Osama al-Rantissi Jordanian Prime Minister Dr Fayez Tarawneh will arrive Wednesday in Kuwait, where he is expected to discuss the economic cooperation between the two countries.  The trip is the latest in a series of intensified activities, in which the Jordanian leader has been seeking foreign aid and investments that could compensate the deficit in his government's budget. On Tuesday,  Tarawneh spoke to the Kuwaiti state-run news agency KUNA.  He stressed the importance of cooperation between the two countries especially on the economic side, revealing that his government will offer remarkable investment opportunities in Jordan for Kuwaiti businessmen. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh held talks Tuesday with the United States Foreign Minister Hillary Clinton, on Jordanian-US ties and ways of cementing them, as well as regional developments, particularly Syria and the Middle East peace process. The talks were part of a series of meetings Judeh was holding with top administration officials, heads and members of Senate committees and research and studies centres in Washington. Judeh and Clinton discussed efforts to revive Palestinian-Israeli peace talks and "exploiting the positive atmosphere" that prevailed during exploratory talks between the two sides that Jordan had hosted to try to create a suitable environment to kick start direct negotiations. Judeh said that the Palestinian issue is the crux of the Middle East conflict, reiterating Jordan's rejection of unilateral Israeli moves that would undermine peace efforts.  On Syria, Clinton said she appreciated Jordan's hosting of Syrians fleeing the violence at home and offering the refugees the necessary aid and services. The two sides stressed the need to find a political solution to the Syrian crisis through supporting joint UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's six-point plan. Judeh briefed Clinton on major steps Jordan had taken in political reform, including constitutional amendments and updating legislation and setting up institutions, namely the Independent Elections Commission and the Constitutional Court. Clinton expressed Washington's support of achievements Jordan had made in the reform drive and announced additional direct aid to the treasury, besides the annual US aid for Jordan, to help the Kingdom overcome the current economic hardship.