Prime Minister holds talks with Turkish counterpart

Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on Saturday held talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyib Erdogan on bilateral ties, means to develop them as well as the latest regional developments. The two officials underlined the importance of enhancing cooperation in political, economic and trade domains. The two sides said they had identical views towards various issues and developments in the region, mainly the Palestinian issue. Following the meeting, Bakhit and Erdogan held a presser, during which they talked about issues they discussed. Bakhit said his visit aims at enhancing cooperation between Jordan and Turkey. Jordan, he said, highly appreciates Turkey’s efforts to support stability in the Middle East, adding that Turkey is a key player to enhance balance in the region. The premier said talks focused on the Palestinian issue, where Jordan and Turkey had almost identical views towards the issue, adding that the two countries support the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Bakhit said he discussed boosting bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation in various domains. He said the Jordanian-Turkish Partnership Council, which was founded by the free trade agreement, would convene to help enhance investments. “His Majesty King Abdullah II is leading the reform process in Jordan,” Bakhit said, noting that action plans were set for political, economic and social reform. “We want to present Jordan as an advanced model for reform.” Bakhit invited Erdogan to visit Jordan in the near future. The Turkish prime minister said talks covered ties and ways to advance with cooperation relations to new levels. Jordan and Turkey, he said, are key players at the regional level, noting that the two countries are pillars of stability and moderation in the region. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict should be solved on the basis of the two-state formula, which guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, Erdogan said. The top Turkish official valued Jordan’s support for the Palestinian issue in general and Jerusalem in particular. Turkey, he said, is following up Jordan’s reform efforts. Erdogan hosted a luncheon in honour of Bakhit and his accompanying delegation. On the other hand, the prime minister met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and discussed the latest regional developments.