THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

                         Joint Communique by
                  U.S. President William J. Clinton
           Jordanian Crown Prince El Hassan Bin Talal and
                Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres

1. President William J. Clinton met at the White House today with His Royal Highness Crown Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres of Israel to pursue their common purpose of creating a new era of peace in the Middle East.
2. Jordan and Israel reaffirmed the five underlying principles of their understanding on an Agreed Common Agenda and commemorated the first trilateral meeting, convened by President Clinton one year ago in Washington, D.C. establishing the U.S.-Jordan-Israel Trilateral Economic Committee. The Trilateral Economic Committee created new momentum which led to the first ministerial-level trilateral meetings in the region, at the Dead Sea in Jordan and at the Eilat-Aqaba border crossing, and to the July 25, 1994 Washington Declaration ending the state of war between Jordan and Israel.
3. HRH Crown Prince El Hassan and Foreign Minister Peres outlined to President Clinton the significant progress that was recently made in Aqaba in the bilateral negotiations between Jordan and Israel, and reaffirmed their commitment enshrined in the Washington Declaration signed by President Clinton, King Hussein and Prime Minister Rabin to achieve a full peace treaty between the two countries, hopefully in the near future.

     The progress made in the bilateral and trilateral
     negotiations are also based on a shared view of the need for
     comprehensive peace in the region.  In this context the
     three leaders believe in the importance of gradual
     implementation of regional cooperation that would address in
     a balanced manner the basic economic and social needs of the
     peoples of the region, the struggle against unemployment and
     poverty, development of human resources and lead to the
     development of a regional and comprehensive security
     concept.  This will also require regional institution
     building based on the Multilateral Working Groups, leading
     to the possible development of a Conference on Security and
     Cooperation in the Middle East (CSCME) concept.  The three
     leaders called upon other regional and non-regional partners
     to participate in the exploration of these concepts and
     targets to create a new Middle East.

4. To implement further the provisions contained in the

     Washington Declaration of 25th July, 1994, the U.S.-Jordan-
     Israel Trilateral Economic Committee today announced
     agreement on:

     a.  The finalized terms of reference for the Jordan Rift
          Valley Joint Master Plan, that portrays an integrated
          concept for the development of the Jordan Rift Valley
          and entails a wide variety of economic projects that
          are of mutual benefit to the two countries, as well as
          for the region.

     b.  The importance of the Middle East/North Africa Economic
         Summit in Casablanca (October 30 - November 1).  In
         this context it is important that the work of the
         Trilateral Committee will be highlighted, including
         joint projects, business and investment opportunities,
         and the promotion of partnership between the public and
         private sectors.

         In view of the fact that the next Middle East/North
         Africa Economic Summit will be held in Amman, the
         Trilateral Committee favors the establishment of a
         continuous mechanism to promote the investment of the
         private sector and to develop necessary strategies for
         regional economic development, in conjunction with the
         Regional Economic Development Working Group (REDWG) of
         the multilateral peace process.  The three sides will
         coordinate on preparations for the Economic Summits
         within the trilateral framework.

     c.  Regarding the importance of regional economic
         development, the three sides believe it is essential to
         pursue and explore the creation of a regional
         organization for economic development and creation of a
         multilateral financing mechanism.  These concepts will
         be further developed in the upcoming meeting of the
         REDWG Monitoring Committee and in the Casablanca
         Conference.

     d.   In order to encourage economic progress resulting from
          the ongoing peace process, it was also decided:

       1.   To address in the upcoming U.S.-Jordan Bilateral
            Commission ways in which the U.S. can assist
            Jordan's economic development by encouraging
            private investment, business development and
            entrepreneurship and promoting bilateral trade.

       2.   To explore the creation of a cooperative Free
            Trade Zone in Aqaba/Eilat based on the principle
            of free flow of goods between countries, at the
            upcoming expert level meeting in Israel from
            October 10-13 and Jordan from October 17-20, 1994.

       3.   The exchange of selective delegations in the
            economic field between Jordan and industrialists,
            bankers, heads of Chambers of Commerce and
            economic media leaders.

     e.  Regarding tourism as a major component of economic
         development, it was agreed:

       1.   The completion of construction by October 15,
            1994, of a new northern border crossing point for
            third country nations.

       2.   A Red Sea Marine Peace Park, with a U.S. start-up
            grant from the State Department's Oceans and
            International Environmental and Scientific Affairs
            Bureau's Special Fund.

       3.   The Trilateral Committee also agreed to promote
            Israel and Jordan as a joint tourism destination,
            citing Jordanian-Israeli collaboration on the
            September 28-29 Tourism in the New Middle East
            Workshop in Cairo, the November 6-12 Lisbon
            Conference of the American Society of Travel
            Agents, and the January-February 1995 Peace Trips
            for U.S. and international tourism and travel
            sector representatives and the news media
            (including representatives of the two countries).

       4.   The new northern border crossing point for third
            country nations, the Red Sea Marine Peace Park,
            and the inclusion of tourism in the terms of
            reference of the Jordan Rift Valley Joint Master
            plan will enhance both countries' appeal as a
            joint tourist destination, in addition to the
            Aqaba-Eilat southern border crossing point and the
            Dead Sea Lowest Point on Earth Park.

       5.   Establishment of an Eilat/Aqaba Free Tourism Zone,
            where citizens of Jordan and Israel can visit in
            addition to third country nationals.

     f.  Water Resources:

       1.   Based on the necessity to develop new and
            alternative water resources on a regional scale
            the Trilateral Committee will develop Terms of
            Reference in order to conduct relevant feasibility
             studies.

       2.   Jordan and Israel will pursue in common financing
            of the dams as agreed upon in recent Aqaba talks.

       3.   Under the auspices of the Trilateral Economic
            Committee, and with technical assistance and
            support from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency
            and the U.S. private sector, a symposium on the
            Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal proposal will be hosted by
            the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in conjunction
            with the Government of Israel.