Jordan’s membership will boost historical ties with Gulf states

AMMAN (JT) – His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday met with Prince Saud Al Faisal, Saudi minister of foreign affairs, and discussed means to boost cooperation between the two countries, according to a Royal Court statement.

During the meeting, attended by Royal Court Chief Khaled Karaki, Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and Saudi Ambassador in Amman Fahed Al Zaid, the King and Prince Saud also reviewed current relations between Jordan and the Gulf countries and means to develop them, especially after the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) welcomed Jordan’s bid to join the six-nation grouping.

His Majesty expressed his appreciation of efforts by Saudi King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz and the leaders of the GCC to support Jordan’s request to join the bloc, the statement said.

The King said the step will strengthen the historical ties and common denominators, as well as cooperation, between Jordan and the GCC countries.

The GCC, which groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, welcomed bids by Jordan and Morocco to join the bloc after a summit in Riyadh on Tuesday.

“Leaders of the GCC welcomed the request of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to join the council and instructed the foreign ministers to enter into negotiations to complete the procedures,” GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al Zayani told reporters.

jordantimes