Friday, February 04, 2011

Jamal Halaby
Associated Press

AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah II Thursday acknowledged reforms in the kingdom have “slowed and stumbled,” and urged the nation’s Islamist opposition to work with the new cabinet to give the people a greater say in politics.
The appeal came a day after the powerful Muslim Brotherhood rejected an offer from the newly appointed prime minister to join his Cabinet, saying the new premier was the wrong person to introduce reforms.

The Royal Palace said Abdullah had told leaders of the Brotherhood and other Islamist groups he wanted “everyone to work together to achieve needed progress in the political reform process and increase the citizens’ participation in decision-making.”

“Political reform in Jordan has slowed and stumbled,” said Abdullah, who is under growing public pressure to give Jordanians a greater voice in public life in the wake of the upheaval in Tunisia and Egypt. He said the lack of progress has “cost the country lost opportunities because some had put their personal interests ahead of Jordan’s own interests.”

Jamil Abu-Bakr, a senior Brotherhood leader, said the king did not try to persuade the group during Thursday’s meeting to reconsider its refusal to join Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit’s new Cabinet. “This matter was not brought up at all,” he said.

Abu-Bakr said the Brotherhood pressed its demands for constitutional amendments to curb Abdullah’s exclusive power to name prime ministers and instead allow Jordanians to elect them by popular vote. “The king was forthcoming and took our demands seriously,” he said. “I’m optimistic and we hope real change will happen,” he added.

But he insisted the Brotherhood would still stage a protest planned for Friday “to press our demands and make sure the government receives our message loud and clear.” Brotherhood leader Hamza Mansour said the group turned down an offer to join the government late Wednesday.” We are looking for a reformist government that will bring about real change,” Mansour said.

Jordan’s king fired his government Tuesday and named Bakhit to head a new one. Abdullah ordered Bakhit to implement reforms to boost economic opportunities and give Jordanians a greater say in politics.
Bakhit is holding talks this week with political parties, including leftist opposition groups, as he tries to form a new Cabinet, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.

In a meeting with MPs Wednesday, Bakhit said: “We will have a plan to present to Parliament and will carry out democratic changes … We will try to improve economic conditions so that our citizens can feel results soon.”