Jordanian police form a line separating anti-government protesters from government supporters during a demonstration after Friday prayers in Amman, (Reuters).
Jordanian Senate president Taher al-Masri, member of the Royal committee for revision of the constitution said that the committee finished amending the constitution and has produced a final draft that will be viewed by King Abdullah II.
Al-Masri – in a lecture on reform in Jordan organized by the Rotary Club of Amman Petra – said that radical amendments to the Jordanian constitution were carried out, using the 1952 constitution, especially regarding the legislative authority.
He assured that the National Dialogue bill is far-reaching, affecting many aspects of political life and had addressed reform in a clear and constructive way, saying it had taken into account the suggested amendments, those to do with party formation and elections.
Al-Masry clarified that the bill came into being as a result of a consensus between members of the dialogue and after extensive and responsible discussions. He added that when it comes to reform, Jordan has gone a long way.
In a different light, al-Masri commented about Jordan’s prospective membership in the Gulf Cooperation Council saying that this move will reap many benefits in supporting “GCC brothers,” praising the support given Jordan by Saudi Arabia.
About the seriousness of reform, al-Masri said that fighting corruption is the preoccupation of the Jordanian citizen, stressing the inevitability of this and the need for more haste in uncovering the facts related to corruption.
As for al-Masry’s opinion on the stance of the Jordanian opposition, he said that the opposition must adopt the correct positions according to nationalistic principles not personal, sefl-interested agendas, assuring that all sides hope the country is emerging from its current problems and reaching an agreement that puts national interest above all else.
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