Singaporean President SR Nathan arrived in Amman on a five-day state visit, accompanied by his wife Urmila, cabinet ministers, legislators, and a 21-member business delegation. During the visit, Nathan and Jordan's King Abdullah II jointly called for a comprehensive and just peace settlement in the Middle East and voiced support for the Iraqi government's efforts to restore order.
The two leaders inaugurated a regional vocational training center in Jordan established under the Asia-Middle East Dialogue framework. The facility is expected to begin receiving trainees in April.
King Abdullah highlighted shared contributions by Jordan and Singapore to global stability, including participation in UN peacekeeping operations, training of Iraqi police, and efforts to counter extremism. He also credited Singapore as a major force in the global free-trade network and thanked the country for backing the new training center.
Nathan praised King Abdullah's interfaith initiatives and efforts to promote a moderate understanding of Islam, noting that Singapore similarly champions reason and moderation. He described the bilateral free trade agreement concluded in 2004 as a landmark in the two countries' relationship.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.