HEADLINE: Queen Rania of Jordan talks about rooting out the source of terrorism in the world and achieving political and economic stability in the Middle East

ANCHORS: MARIA BARTIROMO

MARIA BARTIROMO, anchor: Welcome back. So much has changed in the world since September 11th. The United States was attacked at home and is retaliating in Afghanistan. But the conflict and its aftermath is far from simple. Within the Middle East, few people better represent the challenges of the past and the possibilities of the future than the young king and queen of Jordan.

King ABDULLAH (Jordan): As a human being, we condemn the attack absolutely. As a civilized nation, Jordan stands shoulder to shoulder with the world community in this fight.

BARTIROMO: Jordan's King Abdullah has even said he would be willing to send his own troops into Afghanistan as part of a peacekeeping force. With his outspoken independence, he follows in the tradition of his revered father,
King Hussein, who in his day was considered the best hope for peace in the Middle East. King Abdullah's wife, Rania, is also a symbol of Jordan as a moderate and modern state. Born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents, she
graduated from the University of Cairo with a business degree. She worked at Apple Computer and briefly at Citibank. Today, she is a mother of three and works to empower women by providing loans to start their own businesses. This week I spoke to Her Majesty and asked how she feels about being known as a voice of the moderate Muslim.

Queen RANIA (Jordan): We don't believe in moderate Muslims and extremist Muslims. We have Muslims and we have  extremism. The majority of Muslims believe in the same principles that I believe in and most of us around the world believe in those principles of peace and tolerance, equality and diversity for all of mankind. And these
are the principles that are preached to us in our religion, in Islam.

BARTIROMO: Given King Abdullah's strong voice of moderation, do you worry about your family's safety and security?
 
Queen RANIA: Well, I believe it's very important for us to express our points of view regardless of whether that exposes us to any kind of danger. It'll be a real shame if people didn't express their--their--their views if--just because they're worried about their own safety.

BARTIROMO: So what is the latest public perception in your country and other Arab nations to the US war in Afghanistan? Has sentiment changed over the weeks?

Queen RANIA: Well, the truth is that since the beginning, most Arab countries have been c--condemned these actions. They have been shocked and horrified by the events of September the 11th. Unfortunately, there are
those in our region who would try to leverage the situation or to advance their own political aspirations, and their--incite political, radical views. So you do have those kinds of people. They are trying to portray this as a
war between the Muslim and the non-Muslim world. However, this is a theory that we reject and we think is untrue.

BARTIROMO: Are you worried about the impact on the region if the US extends the war beyond Afghanistan to other countries such as Iraq?

Queen RANIA: Well, we believe that we understand the United States--United States' position. United States is defending itself against a group that have proclaimed war against the United States. However, to enter any other
parts in the Arab world, there will have to be very clear justification for doing so.

BARTIROMO: Absolutely. And, in fact, some in the Arab world felt that US policies caused the animosity that ended in the worst terrorist attack in history. What is your view on what brought us to this place today?

Queen RANIA: I believe if your--I believe if you're looking for one answer it would be impossible to--to really pinpoint one particular factor. I believe it's an interplay of different factors. Obviously, there is some resentment because of the stalemate in the Middle East peace process. I believe a lot of challenges exist in--internal challenges exist in many countries our part of the world, some economic, some people don't have equal access to educational opportunities, etc. So I believe it's a complex interplay of many different factors.

BARTIROMO: What is your feeling about the comments Saudi Prince Alwaleed made on his visit to New York essentially about the need for the US to re-evaluate its policy in the Mideast?

Queen RANIA: I believe as a result of September the 11th, all of us have--have a role to play and have to have something. I think it's been a--really a reality shock for all of us. We've all had to look into ourselves, to go through a process of self-assessment and soul-searching, so to speak. In the United States, people are looking at the foreign policy to see what can be done to ensure justice around the world. In our part of the world, we're also looking inwards and seeing what can we do to make sure that we have a healthy environment for our youth to grow up in, transparency, democracy, equal opportunities. And those were--are the things we need to look at to preempt any circumstances that could cause terrorism to arise.

BARTIROMO: What is your prospective on the prospects for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a topic that must especially be meaningful to you as a Palestinian?

Queen RANIA: Well, I believe that already we have seen more effort being put into reviving the peace talks. For the longest time, there has been a stalemate and the people have not been able to see the light at the end of
the tunnel. There's a tremendous amount of suffering taking place on the ground. But as I said, I'm very hopeful that with the determination of the United States, and the steps that they have already taken, if those
continue, that maybe we can see a resolution to this terrible conflict that we have here.

BARTIROMO: So you think at some point in our lives we will see a resolution to the conflict?

Queen RANIA: I certainly hope so. I believe it's very important to be optimistic. And if you're optimistic, everything is possible. I think it's--we need to find a just and lasting peace in our part of the world so that we can rest assured that, you know, our--the rest of the world can be safe.

BARTIROMO: Your husband, King Abdullah, has made economic development one of his top priorities. You, too, do great work in this area. To what extent do you think economic hardship and poverty in the region have fed into an environment that supports violence and terrorism?

Queen RANIA: Well, what you mention is very important. I think it's very important to work on improving economic conditions. His Majesty, King Abdullah, and I, work very hard on trying to improve the living standards
for our citizens because we believe that if you have--if people are content, if people have equal opportunities, then there will not be a breeding ground for terrorism. And it's not only economic, we also have to ensure that there
is democracy, that there is peace, transparency. We're constantly upgrading our educational system to make sure that people--we have an enlightened society. We have very strong social and economic reform agendas taking place in Jordan. All these are very, very important factors in the long run that will prevent terrorism from arising.

BARTIROMO: What an incredible woman.

Home II Speeches