King Hussein takes measures to open up Jordan to opposition views

A royal decree was issued in Oman yesterday appointing former prime ministers Tahir al-Masri and Ahmed Obeidat as members in the council of nobles after they were excluded from the council's members because of their opposition to some government polices.

King Hussein demanded that Obeidat resign from council in 1995 because of the latter's reservations toward Jordan's peace treaty with Israel.

Former ministers Marwan Dudin and Ibrahim Ghababsheh and retired military officer Khalil Fakatesa were also appointed to the Jordanian parliament's Upper House.

Jordan Times reported that the new deputies replace five deputies -- including Royal Divan chief and former Foreign Minister Jawad al-Anani -- who resigned over the appointment of deputies as ministers in the government, which was not supposed to include deputies.

These changes coincided with the government's resolution to discharge the head of Jordan's Press and Publications Department, Bilal Tal, considered primarily responsible for Jordan's controversial new press law, considered the most prominent symbol of retardation from the democratic progress in the kingdom during Abdul-Salam al-Majali's tenure as prime minister. Iyad Qattan was appointed to replace Tal.

These moves indicate an openness to opposition viewpoints and movement away from the isolation adopted by the former government.