Date: 20 July 2003
Title: Letter of Redesignation of H.E. Mr. Ali Abu al-Ragheb

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Your Excellency the Prime Minister
Engineer Ali Abul Ragheb

Peace be upon you, Allah's mercy, and His blessings

It is our pleasure to send you greetings of affection, appreciation and recognition, for yourself and your colleagues the ministers, who have shouldered the hefty responsibility along your side, during the past three years.

I received your letter of resignation, in which you articulate what is well known to us of your loyalty, of your sense of belonging and of shouldering the responsibility with sincerity and excellence. Such performance is demonstrated in your carrying of duties, within a frame of institutional work, based upon knowledge, and in pace with the spirit of the age. We herewith express our deep pride with what this Government has accomplished, and the challenges it stood up to, whether locally or on a regional and international front. We would in particular like to extend special gratitude, for all those who worked and contributed towards the successful completion of the parliamentary elections, which we wanted to be conducted in utmost integrity, subjectivity and transparency.

As we accept the resignation of your cabinet, we re-designate you to form the new Government. We aspire to continue the course we began in reforms, development, and modernization in all aspects of life in Jordan. We aim to complete building the state of institutions and law, enhance the society of justice and equality, thus bringing about comprehensive development that would secure a dignified life for all citizens, in our beloved country.

Your Excellency

This stage in our national course, which witnesses Parliament's resumption of its march, and its active participation in our democratic life, demands the highest degrees of cooperation and team work spirit, amongst the three authorities, and civic society institutions in all their forms. Such cooperation would accelerate the pace of achievements and construction based upon what has already been accomplished in all fields, within a frame of comprehensive national vision, plans and programmes. Our cooperation should draw a time frame for realizing the aims that we aspire, based upon our pursuing the following solid national goals:

First: Safeguarding our national unity, protecting it from any tampering, or abuse, in itself being a basic foundation in the hierarchy of our national priorities.

Second: Justice is the base of governance. All citizens are equal by law, and none has preferences over others, except for the extent of his/her offerings to this nation. Justice dictates providing equal opportunities for all. Justice dictates as well the distribution of development dividends on all parts of the nation, and on all society segments. In turn, this demands the combat of all forms of corruption, favouritism, exploitation of positions for personal, factional, or sectional interests.

Third: Our democratic course, is our adopted way of life. It is a course we chose and are committed to. It is therefore imperative that we enhance this course, consolidate its foundations, through developing political life, invigorating the role of political parties, and that of civic society institutions.

Fourth: The development we aspire for is a comprehensive one, and should not be implemented in one area on account of other. Development is a complete process, and we should accordingly continue to execute plans and programs, that deal with our economic situation, combat poverty and unemployment, attract investments, instigate reform and modernize our educational and administrative programmes.

Fifth: Openness on the world with an attempt to benefit from the experiences of others. Interacting with the world, is the main feature of this age. Our endeavour in this regard over the past few years, thanks be to Allah, has achieved many benefits to our homeland. Our good relations and interaction with the world has bore fruition on the economic and political levels. However, further efforts should be exerted to build more bridges of cooperation with the outside world, in order to benefit from its experiences and resources.

Sixth: Jordan has been, and will remain Allah's willing, an integral part of its Arab nation. Jordan will support its Arab nation's causes under all circumstances and conditions. Enhancing our relations with our Arab brethren, as well as our support of joint Arab efforts, remains a duty we endlessly endeavour to maintain. Therefore, we are committed to support our Palestinian brethren and their leadership, with all our efforts and resources, until they establish their independent state on their independent soil, with Jerusalem as its capital.

As for our dear brethren state, Iraq, our relations will continue to be that amongst brethren states. We will continue to side with our Iraqi brethren, vouch for the integrity of Iraqi lands, and for the Iraqi people's right to elect their own leadership and their future.

Your Excellency the Prime Minister

Your government has designed over the course of the past three years, many programmes and plans, with an aim to achieve comprehensive development, that would directly and noticeably reflect on the life of citizens. Thanks be to Allah, a considerable amount has been achieved. However the course for the execution of these plans and programmes shall be maintained, and the pace of such execution and achievement shall be executed.. We are confident and optimistic, that we are drawing closer to fulfillment of the aspirations of our people in development efforts, and the well being of the sons and daughters of our beloved country.

I beseech Allah Almighty, to support you in carrying this hefty responsibility. You will find in us all the support and backing that you may need. We look forward to receiving the names of your selected fellow ministers, whom you have chosen to assist you in shouldering this responsibility.

Peace be upon you, Allah's mercy and His blessings.

Abdullah II Ibn al Hussein

Amman, 19 Jamadi Awal, 1424 Hijri
20 July 2003