King of Jordan Calls on Assad to Step Down
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday became the first Arab leader to call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, in a BBC interview.
"I believe, if I were in his shoes, I would step down," the king said. "I would step down and make sure whoever comes behind me has the ability to change the status quo that we're seeing."
Jordan has been critical of its northern neighbor Syria's crackdown on anti-government protesters in recent months.
King Abdullah said Assad should usher in a new era of political dialogue before stepping down.
"Again I don't think the system allows for that, so if Bashar has the interest of his country, he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life," he told the BBC.
Syria has reacted angrily to the decision at the weekend by the Arab League to suspend the country from the pan-Arab body.
Jordan itself has been the scene of protests since January to demand sweeping economic and political reform.
King Abdullah II appointed a new palace chief on October 25 and instructed him to "meet people's needs," a day after a reform-mandated government took office.
The appointment came a day after the king swore in the 30-strong cabinet of Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh, 61, an International Court of Justice judge, who has pledged to push ahead with political reforms.
The new government took office a week after the monarch appointed Major-General Feisal Shobaki as intelligence chief, instructing him to back Jordan's reform drive and enhance freedoms.
In August, the king spoke of a "tsunami" of change in top state posts to boost his reform plans.
14 November 2011, 18:36
10
This is coming from one of the oldest and longest-running British-installed dynasties of kings? LOL
Really, these guys need to stop embarrassing themselves.
14 November 2011, 18:49
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your majesty , just take back the palestinians ur father sent us and that will be great
14 November 2011, 18:58
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Why doesn't this implanted immature retard start with himself?
14 November 2011, 21:00
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how about the King stepping down also ? isnt he a Monarch ? and didnt we pass the 18th century ? its really funny how arabs look at each other but dont look at them selves !
15 November 2011, 13:49
00
Lol look who's talking. The british bedouin whos family fought the al saud family for power when they were both fighting the ottomans to impress the british and were rewarded two states on the arabic penninsula, one is saudi arabia and the other is jordan. Neither of these names are the actual names of these two "countries". Bedouins have traditionally been the biggest traitors in arab history. Why do we levantine ally with them i wonder? When dictators call for other dictators to resign, its an insult to those protesting for freedom. All you dictators need to step down, ALL OF YOU. Especially the kings and princes installed by britain. All of yoy even dealt with asad positively and bolstered him!
