1.
SV PAN..Hussein enters room to applause
0.13

2.
SV Pressmen
0.14

3.
SV Cameramen
0.17

4.
GV ZOOM TO SCU..Hussein speaking
2.16


TRANSCRIPT: KING HUSSEIN: SEQ 4: "As far as I can see, and I have said this to many of you ever since the beginning of the year.... this is going to be a very, very critical and difficult year. For the following reasons: Israel has always struck when at least there was a defensive posture that might prevent her from achieving any further of her plans. This is the phase that we are going through at this stage. Israel does not seem interested in peace, an honourable and just peace. In the face of that, our army must be in a position to fight. For it to be able to carry out its duty it has got to be happy in terms of what is behind it. The support of all the people, the love of all the people, the respect that is due this army. The feeling that my home and my family is safe, this particular feeling was attacked. Regarding resistance, it could never survive without then support of the people, without the support of the army. ??? these two areas wedges were driven.



I am firmly convinced that what was happened is not an accident, and as I have said, my position during the last few days has been that of a person walking in a minefield."




Initials CM/BOB/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Making his first public appearance in Amman since the fighting of the previous week between Palestinian guerrillas and the army, King Hussein called at a Palace Press Conference on Thursday (June 17) for public support for the Jordanian army.

At other points during his statement, King Hussein said he was struggling to prevent the 'complete destruction' of his life's work. He had no intention of abdicating however.

He heaped praise on his two relatives, armed forces commander Major-General Nasser Ben Jamil, and Major General Zeid Ben Shaker, commander of the their armoured division, whom he dismissed because guerrillas consider them opposed to the Fedayeen cause.

The King went out of his way to praise resistance groups such as the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Fatah -- the main-stream guerrilla organisations.

But he made no direct reference to left-wing groups such as the Popular Front For the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Democratic Front, whose leader, Nayef Hawatmeh, called on June 16 for the dissolution of special security units, the purging of reactionaries from responsible positions, and the trial of those who instigated the clashes.