Jordan Times
Thursday, January 28, 1999
Thousands congratulate Prince Abdullah on designation as heir
By a Jordan Times Staff Reporter
AMMAN — Thousands of well-wishers flocked to Raghadan Palace yesterday to congratulate HRH Prince Abdullah on his designation as Crown Prince, and several Arab leaders sent cables of support to the new heir.
Among the guests greeting the Crown Prince was his uncle, HRH Prince Hassan, whom His Majesty King Hussein had relieved from his duties as successor after 34 years as heir to the Throne on Monday.
Hours later, Prince Abdullah was sworn in as Regent, and the King was rushed back to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, suffering from recurrent fever and a low blood count.
"May you be successful, God willing," Prince Hassan told his 36-year-old nephew, who heads the army's elite Special Forces.
The 51-year-old Prince Hassan warmly hugged Prince Abdullah, and his presence was felt because, as usual, his loud laughter echoed through the room.
Bahrain's Crown Prince Sheikh Salman Ben Hamad Ben Issa Al Khalifa also made a brief stopover in Amman on Wednesday to congratulate Prince Abdullah, who has developed strong ties with several Gulf Arab leaders during his army tenure.
He received cables of well-wishes from Saudi Arabia's King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah, Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah and Crown Prince Sheikh Sa'ad Abdullah Al Sabah, Bahrain's Emir Sheikh Issa Ben Salman, Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa Ben Salman and Army Chief of Staff Sheikh Hamad Ben Issa, and Qatar's Crown Prince Sheikh Jassim Ben Hamad Al Thani.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat sent a cable to the new Crown Prince saying that he held him in high regard and prayed that God would protect him in serving Jordan as well as the Arab and Islamic nations in defending their historical and religious rights to their land and holy sites. Arafat praised the "distinguished" relations between Jordan and Palestine, and praised King Hussein's stands, and "sincere and constructive efforts in supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate struggle in order to end the Israeli occupation of our land and to reclaim the Palestinian people's rights, including their right of return and determining their own fate and establishing an independent Palestinian state on their national soil with Jerusalem as its capital."
French President Jacques Chirac also wished the Crown Prince good luck.
Top government, army, intelligence, police and civil defence officials, former prime ministers, senators, deputies, journalists, women activists and political party leaders jammed the ceremonial palace early yesterday to express allegiance to Prince Abdullah and to inquire about the King's health.
Standing before a gold-rimmed throne, the Prince, clad in a navy blue business suit, also greeted Arab and Western ambassadors accredited to Jordan.
Many officials, parliamentarians and tribal leaders embraced Prince Abdullah and patted him on the shoulder in a traditional sign of support.
Witnesses said Prince Abdullah sought to reassure the well-wishers that the King was still in good condition. "He's fine, thank God," he told them.
Before the three-hour ceremony, Prince Abdullah, accompanied by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Field Marshal Abdul Hafez Mira'i Kaabneh, inspected a guard of honour.
His uncle, HRH Prince Mohammad, escorted Prince Abdullah throughout the ceremony.
Officials said the heavy turnout at the palace underlined Jordanian support for King Hussein's decision.