OREANDA-NEWS. May 14, 2010. Prime Minister Andrus Ansip met with King Abdullah II of Jordan, with whom he discussed co-operation between the two countries at the bilateral level as well as within international organisations. The meeting was also attended by Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Zaid al-Rifai.

Andrus Ansip introduced Estonia’s vision of the co-operation between the two countries to the King of Jordan, noting that if the oil shale energy project is successful, it will also prompt other Estonian companies to invest in the country. “The successful implementation of the Eesti Energia project will increase trust between the two countries, which is the basis for economic success,” he said. “Currently, we are linked through our interest in oil shale energy, but I believe that there is also great potential in the IT sector and tourism.”

The Estonian Prime Minister also stressed that excellent co-operation with Jordan is already taking place at the international level, such as within the framework of the United Nations. Also, a contribution is jointly being made to the ISAF to guarantee security in Afghanistan.

King Abdullah II welcomed the increased interest between the two countries and proposed that one form of co-operation could be joint desert exercises in Jordan for the soldiers serving in the Afghanistan mission.

The Prime Minister reiterated the invitation to King Abdullah II to visit Estonia, which was given by President Toomas-Hendrik Ilves.

Before his meeting with King Abdullah II, the Prime Minister observed a demonstration of special operations equipment at the 8th Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference – SOFEX, which was attended by delegations from more than 80 countries. The king’s brother, Prince Feisal Bin Al Hussein, accompanied the Prime Minister on a tour of the equipment exhibition that followed the presentation, during which they discussed both the mission in Afghanistan as well as the NATO partnership. “Estonia considers Jordan to be an important partner for both the EU and NATO, and we place great value in Jordan’s participation in the relevant forms of co-operation,” Ansip said.

The Prime Minister also met today with Khaled Irani, Jordan’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, and Amer Hadid, the Minister of Industry and Trade. Discussions with the former included the Estonian-Jordanian oil shale projects and other public e-services. According to Amer Hadid, Jordan is the regional leader in respect to the implementation of IT development projects, and this could provide direct and practical interest to Estonian IT companies. “Jordan is the gateway to the entire region, which would enable you to share your experiences and conduct corresponding business throughout the Middle East,” he said.

In the afternoon, Prime Minister Ansip visited the Estonian Honorary Consulate, where he expressed hope that other Estonia companies, along with Eesti Energia, and definitely Estonian travel lovers, will discover the opportunities to be found in Jordan.

This evening, within the framework of the Prime Minister’s visit, a concession agreement will be signed between Eesti Energia and the Jordanian government for the utilisation of the Attarat Umm Ghudran oil shale deposit.