2 DECEMBER 2003
Jordan's King Abdullah was warmly embraced by his wife Queen Rania after making his "Speech From The Throne" to open Parliament on Monday.

Dressed in a blue satin ensemble, Rania looked on as her husband made his opening address in which he called for the promotion "tolerance, freedom of thought, creativity and excellence" in the country.

"Our vision of the Jordan that will emerge in the future is based on a solid foundation, whose substance is that Jordan is a modern, democratic country," said the king. He went on to advise parliament to act "with absolute conviction in order to promote Jordan as a civilized model for tolerance, freedom of thought, creativity and excellence".

The 41-year-old king, whose high-profile spouse is a well-known champion of human rights, also called for laws aimed at equality for women. "Women should be provided with all the necessary capabilities and due rights in order to ensure their full participation in political, economic and social life," he declared.