Expanded Jordanian-Syrian ministerial meetings began in the Jordanian capital, Amman, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the fields of trade, transport, electricity, agriculture and water resources.
According to a statement issued by the Jordanian government, today, the meetings – whose duration has not been specified – aim to revitalize economic relations between the two countries and restore trade exchange through border crossings.
The holding of the meetings comes nearly three weeks after the energy and oil ministers of Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon agreed on a road map to supply the latter country with electricity and natural gas.
Syria will be a corridor for the transmission of electricity and natural gas to Lebanon, preceded by an inspection of the infrastructure.
Participating in the meeting are on the Jordanian side, the ministers of industry, trade, supply, water, irrigation, transport, agriculture, energy and mineral wealth, and their counterparts from the Syrian side, the ministers of economy, foreign trade, water resources, agriculture and electricity.
The statement issued by the Cabinet today stated that it is expected to “develop a vision for ways to frame the economic relations between the two countries and enhance areas of cooperation to serve the interests of the two countries, especially in light of the instability in the region.”
The two countries are linked by two main border crossings, which are the old customs, which is opposite the “Ramtha” crossing on the Jordanian side, and “Naseeb”, which is opposite the “Jaber” crossing.
The number of Syrians in Jordan reached about 1.3 million, about half of them held the status of “refugee”, while the rest entered before the start of the revolution by virtue of lineage, intermarriage and trade.
