(MENAFN- Jordan Times) KING HUSSEIN BRIDGE — The Ministry of Public Works and Housing is planning to renovate the King Hussein Bridge linking Jordan to Palestine with a project worth around JD50 million starting next year, Minister Sami Halaseh said during a visit to the bridge on Tuesday.

The ministry will first carry out research by February next year prior to executing the project, and will later begin the two-year-long construction of a new passenger terminal along with a new road connecting the bridge to Amman, Halaseh said.

For this purpose, the ministry will seek further cooperation from the Japanese government, which had provided a grant aid of JD7,700,000 back in 2000 for the reconstruction of the four-lane permanent bridge and the improvement of its access roads.

The Japanese government pledged the aid in view of the importance of transportation over the Jordan River and the symbolic meaning of this project within the context of the Middle East peace process, according to embassy sources.

Furthermore, Japan initiated the 'corridor for peace and prosperity' initiative back in 2006 in order to promote interregional cooperation between Palestine, Jordan, Israel and Japan, aiming to increase the economic independence of Palestine and the development of the Jordan Valley region.

'I want to thank the government of Japan for their contribution, because this bridge is the only place that connects us to our Palestinian friends in the West Bank,' Halaseh told The Jordan Times, adding that the bridge is 'a sign of peace and prosperity'.

Masahiro Tada, deputy chief of mission at the embassy of Japan, told The Jordan Times that 'Japan sees Jordan as a key country both in the Middle East and Asia,' noting that 'the stability of Jordan is vital for the stability of Japan.'

'We are proceeding with the initiative to facilitate the peace process, assisting Jordan is a priority for us, and we will not hesitate in continuing to support the Kingdom,' he concluded.

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