The Prince was briefed on the duties and tasks performed by
each unit
April 21, 1999, 8:49 GMT
AMMAN (Petra) -- His Royal Highness Crown Prince Hamzah Bin Al Hussein
called on the headquarters of the 12th Mechanized Division along with a
number of frontline units.
His Highness was received by the Commander of the military division and a
number of senior officers who accompanied him on his tour in the frontiers
unit.
The Prince was briefed on the duties and tasks performed by each unit.
The final stopover in the tour was Prince Hamzah 6th Artillery Battalion where
the Crown Prince checked on an exhibition of weapons and equipment
organized by the unit, and watched some activities performed by the battalion
staff.
AMMAN (Petra) — HRH Crown Prince Hamzah, the Regent, on Sunday conveyed
Easter greetings and good wishes to Jordan's Christian communities from His
Majesty King Abdullah.
The Regent said during his visit to Christian leaders gathered at the Episcopal
Evangelical head office in Amman: “We are following in the footsteps of the late King
Hussein in our policy regarding all citizens and communities in Jordan which form a
united family.”
Bishop Riyah Abul Asal, head of the Episcopal Evangelical Church, delivered an
address expressing gratitude and appreciation of the Jordanian leadership's
concern and care for Christian communities. He said the visit exemplifies the close
ties that binding the leadership to all Jordanians. He expressed the Christian
communities' allegiance to the Hashemite leadership and conveyed best wishes to
King Abdullah and the Crown Prince. He said their efforts to maintain and strengthen
Jordan's relations with the Arab World were appreciated by all.
Abul Asaal expressed the Christians' hope for a comprehensive and lasting peace
in the region.
Accompanying the Regent on the visit were Acting Prime Minister Marwan Hmoud,
Lower House Deputy Bassam Haddadin, Chief Islamic Justice Sheikh Izzeddine Al
Khatib Al Tamimi, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul Salam Abbadi, Minister
of Finance Michel Marto and other members of Parliament and senate and
prominent Christian community figures.
During a meeting at the Ministry of Interior on Monday, the Regent said Jordan has
overcome the difficulties that faced the country following the passing away of His
Majesty King Hussein. He said Jordan will achieve its aspriations and ambitions by
rallying behind the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah.
The Regent, who met Minister of Interior Nayef Qadi, governors and senior ministry
officials, said Jordan will not allow anyone to interfere in its internal affairs nor to
influence its march.
Prince Hamzah called on all Jordanians to exert every effort to achieve Jordan's
goals and enhance its march.
Qadi briefed the Crown Prince on his ministry's strategy, which focuses on providing
comprehensive security.
The Regent and Qadi visited the Public Security Department (PSD), where Prince
Hamzah was received by its Director Lt. Gen Nasouh Muhieddin. The director briefed
him on the PSD's structural organisation and its duties. Prince Hamzah also visited
the Civil Defence Department (CDD) where he was briefed by its director, Lt. Gen.
Theeb Al Maani, on the department's services to citizens.
AMMAN (Petra) — HRH Crown Prince Hamzah, the Regent, on Saturday held talks at
the Prime Ministry with senior officials on His Majesty King Abdullah's recent visit to
Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting, Prince Hamzah was briefed by acting Prime Minister Marwan
Hmoud on the results of the King's trip, which aimed at strengthening and
developing bilateral relations.
The Regent also was briefed on the government's plans to deal with the country's
economic, water and agricultural situations, as well as efforts to combat poverty and
unemployment.
Prince Hamzah praised the government for giving the utmost priority to such issues
and stressed the need to implement the directives in the King's letter of designation
to the government by developing comprehensive plans to meet the nation's needs.
Also attending the meeting was Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Majali.
Later on Saturday, the Regent inspected the headquarters of the Armed Forces,
where he held talks with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Field Marshal Abdul Hafez
Mira'i Kaabneh and other senior military officials.
Also Saturday, Prince Hamzah, deputising for King Abdullah, opened the sixth
meeting of Arab students studying in Jordanian universities at Al Karameh Scout
Camp.
During the meeting, organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in conjunction with
the Ministry of Education and public and private universities, the Regent discussed a
number of issues with the participants.
At the end of the event, attended by a number of deputies and officials, Minister of
Youth and Sports Mohammad Kheir Mamsar presented a gift to Prince Hamzah.
AMMAN (J.T.) — HRH Crown Prince Hamzah Ben Al Hussein, who is currently
studying at Britain's Sandhurst Military Academy celebrates his l9th birthday today.
Born in Amman on March 29, l980, Prince Hamzah, is the eldest of the late King
Hussein's four children from his marriage to Her Majesty Queen Noor. The Crown
Prince received his early education at Amman's International Baccalaureate School.
He went on to England to earn his general certificate for secondary education at
Harrow.
He also attended various military training courses on para-trooping wings, counter
terrorism, special forces and standard infantry and is Jordan Armed Forces sniper
qualified.
He often accompanied his father, the late King Hussein, on foreign visits and
attended numerous pan-Arab and international conferences in King Hussein's
company.
Prince Hamzah's interests include fencing, scuba diving, shooting, judo, fishing,
skiing, water sports and flying.
He also won numerous religious prizes, including the “Dome of the Rock” Award by
the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in 1990 and a history prize from Harrow.
Prince Hamzah has been decorated with the Al Hussein Gold Medal for Achievement
and Wissam Al Khawkab Al Urduni.
Prince Hamzah was designated Crown Prince in accordance with a Royal Decree
issued on Feb. 7, 1999.
AMMAN (Agencies) -- Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, named as
Jordan's new crown prince on Sunday, is the fourth and favorite son of
King Hussein, who died of cancer on Sunday.
Nudged into the spotlight by his father -- just as the king was himself
groomed for power as a child by his grandfather King Abdullah -- the
18-year-old prince was increasingly seen at the monarch's side in his
meetings with foreign leaders.
The eldest son of King Hussein's fourth wife, the American-born Queen
Noor, Hamzah's youth and sheltered education outside Jordan means he
remains largely unknown to most Jordanians.
But King Hussein, in the last years of his life, dropped repeated hints he
would one day like his tall, dark-haired young son to follow in his
footsteps.
"The king sees Hamzah as an extension of himself," a senior royal court
official said, explaining the monarch's attachment to the prince who
stayed by his sickbed in the United States last year throughout the king's
six-month cancer treatment.
After Hussein's dramatic replacement of his younger brother Prince
Hassan as heir last month with his eldest son Abdallah, followed swiftly
by the king's death and Abdallah's ascent to the throne, Hamzah is
Jordan's third crown prince in two weeks.
In a letter setting out his reasons for dismissing Hassan the ailing king
wrote glowingly about Hamzah while barely mentioning Abdallah, his
choice of heir.
"Hamzah, may God give him long life, has been envied since childhood
because he was close to me," Hussein said. "I have been touched by his
devotion to his country and by his integrity and magnanimity as he
stayed beside me."
Parallels between Hussein and Hamzah are striking. They were sent
away to study at the same private British boarding school, Harrow,
before enrolling for army training at Sandhurst military academy.
Jordanian observers also draw parallels between the influence they say
Queen Noor showed in promoting Hamzah with the role played by King
Hussein's mother Queen Zein, who helped ensure the throne passed to
the teenage Hussein in 1952.
King Hussein himself conspicuously made the connection with Hamzah
in an open letter in September 1997, when the prince marked his 18th
birthday according to the Muslim calendar.
"I recall that God's will decreed that I should take over constitutional
powers in the service of the nation when I was your age today," King
Hussein wrote.
"I pray to the Almighty that you remain an Arab, Muslim Hashemite and
the delight of your father's eye." On Saturday Hamzah and his brothers
emerged from the hospital where their father lay dying and plunged into
the crowd of well-wishers to accept their sympathy.
Despite his increasing public appearances Hamzah has given little insight
into his political convictions. One rare exception was in an exchange of
views via e-mail with a leading critic of King Hussein's rule, particularly
his 1994 peace treaty with Israel which remains unpopular with many
ordinary Jordanians who deeply distrust the Jewish state.
Hamzah gave a spirited defense of his father's policies. Hamzah was
born in Amman on March 29 1980. His early schooling was in Jordan
but he moved to England to attend Harrow boarding school. He is
currently enrolled at Sandhurst military academy.
He has attended various military training courses and lists interests which
include fencing, shooting, judo, fishing, skiing, water sports and flying.
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