He raised the possibility of the state repurchasing certain assets from the private sector.
“Privatisation is an economic and social approach that has positive and negative aspects. Its success depends on several factors, including a transparent mechanism and the existence of legislations that prevent manipulation,” Khasawneh, a former International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurist, said.
The chamber has started a debate upon a motion by 28 deputies that question the feasibility of privatizing Jordan telecom, the cement factory, the Arab Potash co. and the Jordan Phosphate Mining Co. over the past decade.
Some lawmakers charged that the privatisation of state-owned firms involved fraud and ”stealing of public funds”.
Responding to their remarks, Khasawneh conceded some ”suspicion” exists over the privatisation deals.
“It is probable that the government would buy back some of the state’s assets sold under privatisation agreements, despite the fact that the country’s financial standing does not permit such a step,” he said.
Defending the privatization deals, Trade and Industry Minister Sami Gammoh said the proceeds of the privatization process amounting to $2.5 billion were used to maintain positive growth rates, increasing foreign reserves, decreasing public indebtedness, upgrading the quality of services offered to citizens and creating job opportunities.
In a separate development, news agencies said Jordan had signed a revised natural gas deal with Egypt under which its gas imports will cost three times more than before.
The deal was signed in Cairo on Wednesday, Jordan's official Petra news agency reported, and comes as Egypt's military rulers have been under pressure to boost gas prices amid domestic criticism that former President Hosni Mubarak's regime was selling the gas to Israel and others at below-market rates.
Under the new deal, prices were hiked from less than $2 per 1,000 cubic feet to over $6 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Jordan depends on Egyptian gas to generate 80 percent of its electricity.
But the pipeline carrying the fuel between the two nations has been attacked 10 times this year in Egypt, making supplies unreliable.
