Vice Premier Shimon Peres and Jordan's King Abdullah agreed in a meeting in Petra yesterday that the two countries will accelerate economic cooperation through the launching of joint ventures starting next week.
Israeli diplomatic sources told Haaretz yesterday that the king gave the green light to the projects. A highly-influential associate of the king and former minister, head of the royal court Basem Awadallah, will be in charge of the ventures from the Jordanian side.
Abdullah met with Peres before attending a meeting of Nobel laureates in Petra. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to attend the conference today, and also is scheduled to meet the king.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/729841.html