AMMAN, Sept 13 (AFP) - Jordan wants to award reconstruction contracts to Iraqi creditors in exchange for a lessening that country's debt, the Jordanian government announced Monday.
"Jordan has submitted a project to creditor nations proposing a reduction in Iraqi debt in exchange for taking part in the reconstruction of Iraq," government spokeswoman Asma Khodr told a press conference in the capital.
Jordan's proposals include establishing a free-trade zone between the two countries as well as creating "other projects likely to contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq".
Jordan's King Abdullah II promised to help Iraq reduce its debt during a meeting with Iraqi Planning Minister Mahdi al-Hafez in Amman on September 6.
At the time the official Petra agency reported that "Jordan will pursue its contacts with different world powers in order to obtain support for Iraqi reconstruction and a reduction of its debt."
Iraq's foreign debt is around 120 billion dollars, of which 50 billion is owed to Gulf states and 1.3 billion to Jordan.
Representatives of the two countries are due to meet in Amman in October to discuss shared projects and pave the way for the signing of a free-trade agreement between Amman and Baghdad.