Israel, Jordan Agree to Protect Gulf

On June 14, 1999, Israel and the United States signed an agreement launching a joint Israeli-Jordanian project to protect the Eilat-Aqaba Gulf, a project that was originally agreed upon in the 1994 Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty. An identical agreement was signed by the U.S. and Jordan on June 13. According to the agreement, joint teams of scientists from Israel and Jordan will work together to protect and research the coral reef reserves in the gulf. The parties will exchange information and scientific data, and will conduct educational activities among residents of Eilat and Aqaba. The U.S. will fund the majority of the cost.