Amman, Feb. 4 (Petra) -- Senate President Faisal Fayez stressed the importance of implementing the agreements and cooperation protocols signed with Uzbekistan during His Majesty King Abdullah II’s visit to Uzbekistan in August.
These covered mutual investment promotion and protection, economic partnerships, tourism and aviation services, customs cooperation, higher education and scientific research, and enhanced cooperation in religious affairs.
Fayez made the remarks during separate talks in Tashkent on Wednesday with Chairperson of the Senate Tanzila Norbaeva and Speaker of the Legislative Chamber Nuriddinjon Ismailov, as part of an official visit at the head of a Senate delegation at the invitation of the Uzbek Senate.
Discussion addressed bilateral ties and ways to boost cooperation across sectors, in addition to developments in the Middle East.
Fayez called for establishing a joint governmental committee to follow up on and coordinate bilateral cooperation, and forming a joint Jordanian-Uzbek business council to facilitate direct engagement between the two countries’ business communities. He also urged expanding tourism exchange and joint tourism programs, and activating the Uzbek-Jordanian trade council in support of mutual interests.
Fayez highlighted the importance of opening the Uzbek market to Jordanian industries and products, particularly pharmaceuticals, garments and textiles, phosphate, potash and fertilizers, Dead Sea products, and digital services, including video game development. He also called for enabling Jordanian exports to reach Central Asian markets through Uzbekistan.
He said bilateral relations have seen a qualitative shift in recent years, especially following the King’s visit, and affirmed the Senate’s commitment to strengthening ties across political, economic, investment, cultural, and parliamentary tracks. He invited Uzbek business leaders and investors to leverage Jordan’s strategic location, development and special economic zones, and its free trade agreements and economic blocs with multiple markets, including the United States, Canada, and the European Union.
On regional developments, Fayez cited conflicts in the Middle East, including the Israeli occupation’s aggression against the Palestinian people. While rejecting the continuation of what he described as Israel’s aggressive and expansionist policies, he welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement and called on the international community to support it and compel Israel to implement its provisions.
He reiterated Jordan’s rejection of any solutions that undermine its national constants, such as Jordan becoming an alternative homeland for the Palestinians, and rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians, describing it as a violation of international law and a war crime that would fuel further conflict.
Fayez expressed appreciation for Uzbekistan’s support for the King’s efforts toward peace, citing His Majesty's constant emphasis that there is no security or stability in the region except through a two-state solution based on international legitimacy resolutions. He also commended Uzbekistan's backing of the Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as Jordan’s global role in promoting tolerance, moderation, and interfaith dialogue.
The Uzbek officials praised the great role played by His Majesty in ending the conflict in the Middle East region and restoring security and stability, commending the importance of Jordan’s role as an active peacemaker and a pivotal state in the region.
They welcomed deeper cooperation with Jordan, emphasized activating bilateral agreements, and reaffirmed support for ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution. They also stressed the need to open all crossings to enable sufficient humanitarian assistance into Gaza and said parliamentary friendship committees would work to broaden economic and investment cooperation.
At the conclusion of the talks, Fayez and Norbaeva signed a memorandum of understanding between the two councils to strengthen cooperation through exchanges of visits, follow-up by parliamentary committees, legislative expertise sharing, and staff training and work visits.
The MoU also aims to enhance Jordanian-Uzbek relations across parliamentary, economic, and cultural fields and to coordinate positions on issues of mutual interest in international parliamentary forums.
//Petra// AO
