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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 March 1999 Issue No. 420 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 March 1999 Issue No. 420
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Special Features Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Abdullah in the saddle
By Lola KeilaniIn a sudden move that took many Jordanians by surprise, King Abdullah entrusted the premiership to Abdul-Ra'ouf Rawabdeh, a politician who had not even been mentioned among potential candidates for the job following the death of King Hussein a month ago.
Those expected to fill the post were mainly former prime ministers some of whom were anticipating an invitation from the royal palace to attempt the formation of a strong government capable of handling the difficult challenges now facing Jordan in the aftermath of the King's death.
The Jordanian parliament was about to hold a vote of no confidence in outgoing Prime Minister Fayez Tarawneh's government for failures over the last six months. The new king replaced the cabinet before it could be dismissed by the representatives of the people, a precedent not to be encouraged according to domestic Jordanian norms.
Political analysts highlighted the urgent need for a strong government to fill the power vacuum following King Hussein's death.
"The new government is not an exceptional one that can tackle the exceptional situation we are in," said former minister of information and current chief editor of Ad Dustour newspaper, Mahmoud Sharif.
According to commentators, King Abdullah's appointment, also last Thursday, of former Prime Minister Abdul-Karim Kabariti as his new chief of the royal court is an indication of his growing authority.
Kabariti, whose 1996-97 government implemented tough economic reforms such as the lifting of bread subsidies, and distanced itself from Iraq, is expected to have a greater role in foreign policy than Rawabdeh, whose ministerial duties have been confined to domestic portfolios.
"The appointment of Kabariti as chief of the royal court is a signal that real power lies in the hands of the palace," said an official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Rawabdeh
Abdullah's decision to appoint Kabariti has been seen as rubbing salt in the wounds of former Crown Prince Hassan who was instrumental in removing Kabariti from the post of prime minister following several clashes two years ago. The recent appointments are believed to be further signs of the marginalisation of Hassan who after 35 years as Crown Prince was dismissed by King Hussein shortly before his death.
"Basically there are two messages in this royal decree [appointing Kabariti]: the first is that Jordan will move away from Iraq and the second is that the King will alienate his uncle, Prince Hassan," said the official.
Rawabdeh's cabinet excluded all ministers loyal to the former Crown Prince including Minister of Information Nasser Judeh, Hassan's son-in-law, as well as the ministers of planning, water and irrigation, trade and industry, agriculture and energy.
The former cabinet under Tarawneh worked most of its six-month tenure under Hassan, who was in charge while the late king was receiving cancer treatment in the United States.
Abdullah's decision to replace Prime Minister Tarawneh with Rawabdeh, a former minister and currently a deputy, was his first major executive move since taking the throne.
Both Rawabdeh and Kabariti are known to advocate closer relations with the US, Israel and the Gulf States.
Abdullah, in his 16-page-letter of appointment, instructed Rawabdeh to consolidate Jordan's ties with the Palestinians and Israel under the 1994 peace treaty signed by his father.
"Peace is a strategic option," Abdullah said. "We will continue to insist on the peace process, knowing for sure that the firm will of the people for peace will eventually overcome all obstacles."
The new king also urged closer ties with the Gulf States, who ostracised Jordan for its pro-Iraqi stance during the 1990-91 Gulf war.
Rawabdeh was sent to the Gulf as envoy of the late king in an effort to mend ties with Jordan's Arab neighbours. Kabariti, during his tenure as premier, played a major role in moving Jordan away from Iraq and improving relations with Kuwait.
The main challenge facing the new prime minister, who served as Kabariti's deputy in 1995, is to revive Jordan's economy which will require painful measures such as cutting back the bureaucracy. In 1995 Rawabdeh blocked a proposal brought to parliament to cancel agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, who are supervising Jordan's economic reforms launched the same year.
The new premier's appointment of Rima Khalaf, who has been responsible over the last five years for supervising Jordan's restructuring programme, as his deputy and minister of planning is a signal to donor countries and the IMF of Jordan's commitment to free market reforms.
On the domestic front, Rawabdeh has been tough with Islamist deputies. In 1990, he stood firmly against legislation proposed by the Islamic Action Front to ban alcohol.
In spite of his position as a parliamentary deputy, the new premier is not expected to undertake any democratic reforms.
"From an exclusively political point of view, the government is a disappointment because it will not bring about the much awaited democratic reforms," said a former prime minister.
