Amman, Pafos sign twinning deal

AMMAN — Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades on Tuesday visited the headquarters of Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), where the Amman and Pafos mayors signed a twinning agreement. 

Anastasiades, who was accompanied by Pafos Mayor Phedon Phedonos, said his visit seeks to build solid grounds for Jordanian-Cypriot relations in economy, tourism and culture, and to boost grounds for mutual respect between the people of the two countries.  

The Cypriot president, received at GAM by Amman Mayor Aqel Biltaji, described the twinning agreement signed between Amman and Pafos, a city on the southwest coast of Cyprus, as a clear indication of efforts to boost future cooperation, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During the visit, Biltaji presented the key to Amman to Anastasiades, who expressed his admiration for the history of the capital and the various successive civilisations that lived and prospered in Jordan. 

Underscoring the importance of the twinning agreement, Biltaji highlighted the historic links between the two cities, noting that both have played a key role in the field of trade. 

He also emphasised the tourism and cultural cooperation that the agreement will lead to, stressing Amman’s resilience and ability to cooperate with other cities, and deal with crises.

Biltaji noted that Papfos has been named European Capital of Culture for 2017.

Biltaji also presented the Cypriot president with a golden coin, depicting His Majesty King Abdullah on one side and an image of the Baptism Site on the other, as a token of appreciation. 

He also presented a similar silver coin to Phedonos.    

Anastasiades and his wife arrived in Amman on Monday on an official visit to the Kingdom, during which he is scheduled to hold talks with His Majesty King Abdullah.

The talks will cover bilateral relations, and regional and international developments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.