Interview with His Majesty King Abdullah II

At the invitation of the Jordanian Parliament, the Inter-Parliamentary Union will be holding its 103rd Statutory Conference and Related Meetings as from today and until 6 May 2000 in Amman. The Conference will be inaugurated by His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan.

JIPU: Your Majesty, could you please share with us your views on the 103rd Inter-Parliamentary Conference and your message to the members of the world's parliaments who will be convening in Amman?

King Abdullah: I am very happy and very proud that Jordan is hosting the 103rd Inter-Parliamentary Conference this year. It is also significant that the Union will be discussing, among other issues, dialogue among civilisations. As we become much closer together in the new era of globalisation, it becomes necessary not only for all cultures to be tolerant of each other, but more importantly, to understand one another. Without such understanding, there can be no peaceful coexistence among nations of the world, and therefore there will be no progress and no economic and social prosperity. In essence, we nullify the goodness of being close to one another. We would then be giving in to the same forces of conflict that plagued the world for so many years in the last century. Diversity and globalisation can and must work together and nobody is in a better position to debate this issue than these representatives of the world.

Your deliberations on the state of the world, whether in the economic, social or political fields, will enrich knowledge of the diversity of experiences all over the world. We all strive to achieve the economic growth and prosperity that will enhance the status of the individual and therefore our entire societies, which in turn can only lead to openness and greater freedoms to ensure that this individual will realise his or her own potential. This cannot be divorced from the importance of the valuable contribution of every member of our society, man or woman.

JIPU: Jordan has been deeply involved in the Middle East peace process. As all Speakers of Parliaments of the Middle East region including Israel are expected in Amman, do you think that this could help further the peace process?

King Abdullah: In much the same way that the representatives of the world will discuss dialogue among cultures and nations, there can be no doubt that interaction between those representatives can only lead to greater tolerance and, hopefully, understanding between the peoples of the Middle East. Jordan has always called for a just and comprehensive peace in the region that restores rights and enshrines the peaceful coexistence that befits the new era of the global world.

JIPU: One of the IPU's key objectives is to achieve partnership between men and women in politics. How would you describe the situation of women in Jordan and what do you feel are the main obstacles to political parity?

King Abdullah: I mentioned earlier that all individuals of a society must be able to fulfil their aspirations and hopes. And political aspirations are just one aspect of that. As long as the legal framework allows for such aspirations to be realised in an organised and peaceful manner, then there will be a move forward to greater participation of women in political life as well as in all other fields. In Jordan, women have taken part in government and continue to do so, whether in the civil administration or the military. They have also held high positions at ministerial rank. And they are naturally free to exercise their right to vote and be elected. We strongly support such participation at any of those levels.

Our women today participate in every aspect of life, whether in civilian life or otherwise. For many years Jordanian women have been able to vote and be elected, whether in parliamentary or in local elections. There is much room for their participation to increase. It is up to them to participate and project their appealing political outlook so that not only women vote for them, but men as well. Without doubt, we encourage such participation with vigour and conviction.