Jordan and Syria signed several trade and water agreements here Sunday in an attempt to strengthen cooperation and boost trade ties.
Jordanian Prime Minister Nader al-Dahabi and his Syrian counterpart, Naji al-Otari signed a total of 12 accords and also agreed to enforce an end to customs restrictions between the two countries.
Jordan is one of the world's most water impoverished countries and has experienced low rainfall recently, sparking concern of a looming water crisis.
Syria also promised to provide Jordan with 50,000 tons of wheat - part of the agreements that capped off two days of meetings between the two countries.
"The volume of trade exchange is now around $50 million (€34 million)," al-Otari told reporters after the signing ceremony in the Jordanian capital of Amman.
"I hope through our continuous meetings that this figure could reach $1 billion (€680 million) because there are vast horizons to enhance this cooperation," he said.
The thaw after years of frosty relations between Jordan and Syria began with a landmark summit last month by Jordan's King Abdullah II to Damascus where he discussed Syrian participation in a US-sponsored Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland with President Bashar Assad.
The previously unannounced visit by Abdullah was his first to the Syrian capital in nearly four years and is seen as having paved the way for Sunday's boosting of bilateral ties.
