Abdullah promises reforms for Jordan

AMMAN, Jordan, June 13 (UPI) -- Announcing broad reforms, King Abdullah II said he wants to create a "Jordan of the future" with governmental transparency and respect of civil rights.

"Today, and on this occasion, we announce our reform vision for the Jordan of the future, in which democracy and popular participation take root as a consistent approach for the sake of building the Jordanian state, in which promoting justice is a purpose, tolerance is a mission and respect for human rights is the goal," Abdullah said in a televised address Sunday.

It's not known when the reforms will take effect, CNN reported Monday. If the promises were kept, Abdullah would satisfy some of the demands of anti-government protesters.

Abdullah also said the reforms would "guarantee the fairness and transparency of the electoral process through a mechanism that will lead to a parliament with active political party representation; one that allows the formation of governments based on parliamentary majority and political party manifestos in the future."

Jordan's economy was hit hard by the economic turn down and rising prices and the number of unemployed youth is high.

Abdullah's address comes six months after protests broke out in Jordan. In February he fired his prime minister and cabinet and pledged to work on reforms.