Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai met today with ambassadors of the European Union in Amman and asked their help to enable Jordan to obtain an "advanced status" in trade dealings with the EU countries, dpa quoted a statement from the premier's office as saying. "Jordan hopes this goal will be accomplished in the earliest possible time," Rifai told the envoys during the meeting which took place at the residence of the ambassador of Spain, current EU chairman. The issue was high on the agenda of Jordanian leaders' talks over the past couple of days in Amman with the foreign ministers of Spain and Germany, Miguel Moratinos and Guido Westerwelle, respectively, who were on a regional tour. Rifai also briefed the EU envoys on the "economic challenges facing Jordan and the measures being taken by the government to deal with a public budget deficit" which reached more than 1.5 billion dollars in fiscal 2009. He thanked the EU countries for their economic aid which he said was always instrumental in enabling government to carry out development projects in the country, the statement said. Foreign Minister Minister Nasser Judeh, who attended the meeting, asked the EU countries to help push forward the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians towards the accomplishment of the two- state solution.
