JORDAN: PRIME MINISTER PAYS TRIBUTE TO KING HUSSEIN

(7 Feb 1999) English/Nat
Jordan's Prime Minister has paid tribute to the late King Hussein, vowing that the country will continue to follow in the path he carved out for it.
Fayes Al-Tarawneh said the government was firmly behind the country's new monarch, King Abdullah, who formally ascended the throne on Sunday afternoon.
It was the first official reaction from the Jordanian government since the King's death earlier on Sunday.
Jordan's Prime Minister, Fayez Al-Tarawneh, praised the legacy left behind by King Hussein after nearly 50 years of rule.
The premier also pledged support for the country's new monarch, King Abdullah, saying he believed the newly crowned king would follow in his father's footsteps.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"An extraordinary man that we lost today. A great leader, a father for everybody. But at the same time, it's a day of continuity, a day of determination and that's how he taught us, first of all to respect the Constitution, all the institutions of the Constitution, and above all to serve the country as he did. He built it and he gave it to us a solid as it is and we are going to continue in the same line carrying his message. His Majesty King Abdullah is also determined to continue in the same path, along the same path as his dear father and we are very optimistic and we are behind him, to his right, to his left, behind him. He will guide us and we will follow. And this is the spirit with all the sadness there is in our heart, in our bones, in our blood but we are so determined to continue in the same path."
SUPER CAPTION: Fayez Al-Tarawneh, Jordanian Prime Minister
The Jordanian government is preparing to receive as many as 40 world leaders for King Hussein's funeral on Monday.
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