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| Iraq-Jordan |
| King Abdullah urges Iraqis to vote |
| 2005-01-27 |
| Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wedneday affirmed that political, economic, administrative and social development is an integrated process and stressed the need to broaden public participation. "As political development is a gateway to the full participation of all segments of the grassroots and civil society institutions in the various aspects of the development process, I assert here that political development should start at the grassroots level, then move up to decision-making centers, and not vice-versa," King Abdullah said in a televised address to the nation. The King also stressed the necessity to reconsider the current administrative divisions of the Kingdom where there will be a number development areas or regions, each of which consisting of a number of governorates and each region will have a local council directly elected by its people. To that end, King Abdullah said "we shall as soon as possible form a Royal Committee to study the various aspects of such an approach and to put the appropriate mechanism for its implementation and translation from an idea to tangible facts on the ground." In his speech, King Abdullah congratulated the Palestinians "for their great achievement in concluding the presidential election and choosing their legitimate leadership." The King described this achievement "a key and essential step for the Palestinians in their pursuit to regain their rights and to establish their independent state on their national soil." King Abdullah also called upon Iraqis of all groups and spectra to take part in the elections to be held in few days. "The elections are the only realistic way for Iraqis to achieve security and stability, rebuild their country, and ensure that Iraq regains its natural and special status within the region," the King said, according to Petra. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |