Australian governor general concludes visit

AMMAN — Australia's Governor General Peter Cosgrove on Friday commended the archaeological pieces housed at the Jordan Museum.

Speaking to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, during his visit to the museum as part of his official visit to the Kingdom, he described the facility as a "wonderful place of modern civilisation", which gives a glimpse into the "great past".

This museum provides an insight into the beginning of the activities of civilised man not only for the people of Jordan or international visitors but to all mankind, the governor general said.

As he toured the museum, Cosgrove listened to a briefing by Stephen Bourke, an Australian archaeologist in Pella, northwest of Jordan, on the ancient Jordanian monuments of Ain Ghazal, Jawa archaeological site, Pella ancient ruins, Nabataeans, Roman and Byzantine ruins, as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Earlier during his official visit to the Kingdom, the governor general met with His Majesty King Abdullah. 

His Majesty stressed the Kingdom’s keenness to expand its economic, security and defence partnership with Australia.

Cosgrove also met with Prime Minister Hani Mulki and
discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them to serve the interests of the two countries.