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AMMAN — Jordan on Thursday commended the role the EU plays in the Kingdom’s comprehensive development process through supporting efforts to eliminate poverty and unemployment.

During a meeting with EU Ambassador Joanna Wronecka, Labour and Tourism Minister Nidal Katamine highlighted the ministries’ commitment to cooperating with donor countries to establish income-generating schemes.

Wronecka said the EU is funding a number of educational and employment projects in Jordan, adding that the union has presented a 35 million euro grant to the Kingdom, of which 6 million euros will go to support vocational training.

AMMAN — The Income and Sales Tax Department on Saturday will start the disbursement of payments under the first tranche of targeted fuel compensation to employed and unemployed Jordanian heads of families who work in the private sector as conditions apply.

The Housing Bank will disburse payments on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 3pm-7pm, and on Saturday from 10am-4pm.

The Housing Bank stressed that the head of the family should bring his/her identification card and a photocopy of it.

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Thursday discussed the latest regional developments, especially the situation in Syria and the peace process, with Comoros Foreign Minister Arif Sayed Hassan and an accompanying delegation.

Tarawneh stressed that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state lies at the heart of the Kingdom’s strategic interests.

He also briefed the delegates on Jordan’s burdens resulting from hosting Syrian refugees.

MARRAKESH — Interior Minister Hussein Majali met separately with his Lebanese, Omani and Yemeni counterparts in Marrakesh, on the sidelines of the 31st session of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, which concluded on Wednesday.

Discussions covered ways to strengthen cooperation in fighting crime, drug trafficking and terrorism.

During the meeting with Lebanese Interior Minister Nihad Mashnouq, discussions covered the Syrian crisis and its effect on neighbouring countries, in addition to security cooperation.

Majali also discussed enhancing economic and security cooperation with Oman’s Interior Minister Hamoud Bin Faisal Al Busaidy.

During the meeting with Yemeni Interior Minister Abdo Hussein Eltareb, discussions focused on the possibility of holding training programmes for Yemeni security personnel in the Kingdom for one year.

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Thursday met with UAE Federal Supreme Court President Abdul Wahab Abdoul to discuss prospects for further cooperation.

The premier commended the level of relations between the two countries, highlighting Jordan’s readiness to provide the UAE with experts in all specialisations.

Abdoul stressed the importance of exchanging plans and visits to look into best judiciary practices.

AMMAN — The number of visitors to the ancient city of Petra dropped in February by 12 per cent compared with the same period in 2013, according to figures released recently by Petra Archaeological Park.

A total of 38,618 tourists visited the city last month.

Of the total number of visitors, 31,449 were foreigners, 6,856 were Jordanians and 263 were students and official guests.

The entry ticket revenues in February also dropped by 20 per cent compared with the same month last year, from JD850,014 to JD682,671, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

AMMAN — Jordan does not intend to interfere in the ongoing crisis between Gulf countries, a senior official said on Thursday, adding that the parties are likely to address their differences soon. 

In response to questions on the rift between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, pitting Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain against Qatar, Political and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Khaled Kalaldeh said he expects these countries to leave their difference behind and normalise their ties. 

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain last week recalled their ambassadors from Qatar for allegedly interfering in their internal affairs.

Qatar categorically denied the accusation and did not recall its envoys.

The GCC, established in 1981 by the said four nations, along with Kuwait and Oman, has been seen as a stable bloc and a rare solid inter-governmental union in the Arab area. 

The move is widely seen as signalling the three countries’ anger at Qatar’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood, according to Agence France-Presse.

Doha said it “regretted” the decision to recall the envoys, which it said was based on differences concerning regional issues.

The Brotherhood is widely banned in the Gulf, and the UAE has sentenced scores of alleged members to jail, while Qatar has served as a refuge for Brotherhood sympathisers from other countries.

Qatar defended its independent foreign policy on Monday, saying it is committed to openness.

“Our policy is based on openness towards all, and we do not want to exclude anyone,” Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid Al Attiya said during a visit to Paris, in remarks aired by Doha-based Al Jazeera television, according to AFP.

AMMAN — The government will announce the results of investigation into the killing of Jordanian Judge Raed Zuaiter as soon as the probe committee finishes its report, a minister said on Thursday.

Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani reiterated that the government has received an apology letter from the Israeli government following the incident.

However, the letter includes the phrase: “We deeply regret,” as read by Momani, who is also the government spokesperson.

The apology has triggered a linguistic debate among observers after Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour told lawmakers Tuesday that Israel “officially apologised”, while critics said the statement from the office of Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu expressed “regret” and stopped short of  “apology”.

Jordan on Monday summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires in Amman, protesting the shooting of Zuaiter by Israeli soldiers and asked for an immediate investigation on the incident.

Zuaiter, a judge at the Amman Court of First Instance, was killed at the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge over Jordan River on Monday. In reaction to the incident, the government asked to take part in the investigation that is yet to be announced. Israel agreed to the request.

Momani told reporters that the government will meet next week with the Lower House and discuss deputies’ demands to protest the killing of Zuaiter.

The House on Wednesday gave the government seven days to declare measures it plans to take against Israel in relation to the death of the judge, who was buried in Nablus Tuesday. Ensour and his team risk a no-confidence vote if they do not convince deputies of their plan, amid a popular uproar and rising anti-Israeli sentiments.

“We highly respect the recommendations and decisions of the lawmakers, and will keep the House speaker abreast of the progress in the investigation,” Momani said.

In a non-binding decision, the House voted unanimously for expelling the Israeli ambassador and recalling the Jordanian ambassador in Tel Aviv.

They also demanded that the Israeli government release all Jordanian and Palestinian prisoners and called for placing the crossing points between Jordan and the West Bank under joint Jordanian-Palestinian control.

Meanwhile, major cities are reportedly expected to witness rallies on Friday that echo the same demands, while news websites reported that activists are preparing for a major rally to mark the March 24 protest, the major event of the Jordan’s Arab Spring. 

AMMAN — Taiwanese and Jordanian companies have recently signed several agreements worth $10 million in various fields, according to Kevin Jiang, economic division director at the Taiwan commercial office.

“A delegation representing about 32 Taiwanese companies met with representatives of about 150 Jordanian companies in Amman recently and they reached some agreements, most of [which] are buying products and solutions from Taiwan,” Jiang told The Jordan Times on Wednesday.

He said there is great potential for increased bilateral cooperation in the ICT, healthcare and renewable energy sectors.

“Jordan and Taiwan are similar in the shortage of their local energy resources, as both import about 96 per cent of their energy needs annually.” 

“Taiwan has great experience in renewable energy projects,” Jiang noted, adding that his country is known for producing high quality solar panels and solar cells.

Trade exchange between Jordan and Taiwan rose by 12 per cent in 2013 to $370 million, of which about $54 million are Taiwanese imports from Jordan.

“I expect trade exchange to grow significantly this year and that Jordan’s exports to Taiwan will rise as well,” he said.

Jiang added that around half of Taiwan’s imports from Jordan are phosphates, potash and fertilisers, noting that the prices of these commodities are rising globally.

“In the field of ICT, Taiwanese and Jordanian companies have good cooperation, but we can do more,” he said, especially since Jordan is a “pioneering ICT hub” in the region.

Investments by Taiwanese companies in Jordan stand at $50 million, all of which are garment factories in the Qualifying Industrial Zones, according to Jiang.

The five Taiwanese factories employ about 6,000 people, about 30 per cent of whom are Jordanians, he said, adding that the investors are keen on hiring more Jordanians.

AMMAN — Jordan and Syria were the main consignment countries of Captagon seized in Saudi Arabia in 2012, according to a UN report on narcotics.

The main destination of the 3,1881kg of Captagon tablets that were seized in the Middle East in 2012, was Saudi Arabia, the UN International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) 2013 report said. 

According to the report, based on information by the World Customs Organisation, almost 83 per cent of all Captagon pills seized in the region was in Saudi Arabia, followed by Jordan and the UAE.

However, “Jordan and Syria were the main countries of consignment of the seized drugs reported by Saudi Arabia,” the INCB noted.

Captagon (fenethylline) is a synthetic stimulant similar to amphetamine. 

Although banned in most countries in the 1980s, illegally produced and smuggled Captagon — sometimes containing amphetamine instead of fenethylline — is a common drug of abuse in the Middle East, according to web sources. 

The INCB report, a copy of which was sent to The Jordan Times, also said there are indications that local clandestine manufacture of Captagon is expanding. 

“Laboratory equipment and chemicals used for the manufacture of drugs including amphetamine sold as Captagon were seized by the Lebanese customs services,” the report said, adding that the material had arrived from China.

The INCB said another matter of great concern was the rapidly developing synthetic drug market and the emergence of new psychoactive substances in the Middle East, including synthetic cannabinoids, such as “spice”.  

“Attempted smuggling and seizures of such substances were reported by Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,” the report said.

Only one in six problem drug users worldwide — some 4.5 million people — receives the treatment he or she needs, at a global cost of about $35 billion per year, a UN statement quoted the Vienna-based INCB as saying in its annual report.

Heroin, cannabis and cocaine are the drugs most frequently used by people entering treatment worldwide. 

INCB President Raymond Yans noted that investing in prevention and treatment is a wise “investment choice” as it can lead to significant savings in healthcare and crime-related costs and alleviate the suffering of drug-dependent persons and their families. 

The INCB report reveals significant regional disparities in treatment provision: In Africa, only one in 18 problem drug users receives treatment; in Latin America, the Caribbean and South-eastern Europe, one in 11 problem drug users is treated; and in Northern America one in three.

Prescription drug abuse is a major threat to public health, outpacing the rates for illegal drugs in some countries, the INCB said, warning of widespread availability of prescription drugs.