Lebanon, Jordan sign economic agreements

Lebanon and Jordan signed 16 agreements, protocols and memoranda of understanding in Beirut on Friday, Lebanese PM office announced, Xinhua reported.
   Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri met with visiting Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai Friday at the Grand Serail in down town Beirut. Hariri and his Jordanian counterpart headed the meeting of the Lebanese-Jordanian committee and signed 16 agreements between the two countries.
   The agreements include cooperation between the Jordanian Institute for the Development of Economic Projects and the Lebanese Trade Information Center for the years 2010-2011, a technical program to activate the mutual recognition agreement on conformity certificates and quality marks, and administrative cooperation agreement on customs procedures.
   They also include cooperation on animal health and production, cooperation in the agricultural sector, and the executive program for tourism cooperation for the years 2010-2012.
   Earlier, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman met with Rifai at the presidential palace near Baabda where they discussed "the excellent relations between the two countries and the situation in the region" said a statement released by Suleiman's office.
   Suleiman expressed his gratitude to Jordan's King, and invited him to visit Lebanon. He also hailed the bilateral relations, and encouraged the signing of cooperation agreements between them.
   For his part, Rifai conveyed Jordan's King Abdullah II greetings and wishes that bilateral relations would witness further cooperation and development in the interests of both countries.
   Rifai is on a two-day visit to Beirut accompanied by a high level ministerial delegation.