1.
GV Young men entering general mobilisation centre. (2 shots)
0.15

2.
SV AND CU INT Young men receiving papers and handing them to officers. (3 shots)
0.34

3.
SV Young men taking medical tests. (3 shots)
0.43

4.
CU Picture of King Hussein.
0.47

5.
SV EXT. Van takes recruits to Zerqa training camp.
0.56

6.
SV Men on assault course. (2 shots)
1.05

7.
LV Recruits jumping over fire and barbed wire.
1.12

8.
SV Climbing through barbed wire and tunnels.
1.22

9.
SV AND CU Recruits receiving instruction on handling machine and anti-tank guns. (3 shots)
1.38

10.
LV AND CU Recruits marching. (2 shots)
1.58



Initials VS 23.10



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Jordan re-introduced national service this year after abandoning compulsory conscription in 1969.

SYNOPSIS: Jordanian men over the age of 18 are once again required to sign on for two years national service.

The law for compulsory conscription was first introduced in 1969 when there was extreme tension between the Jordanian government and the Palestinian guerrilla organisations. Conscription was dropped when the government eventually reached agreement with the guerrillas.

The new law excludes only exceptional cases. Students wanting to finish high school or university education can gain postponement.

The national service soldiers, or acountables as they are known, spend three months in military training in camps in the Zerqa area of north east Jordan. After that they are posted to various regular army unites to spend the 21 remaining months of their service. The conscripts are paid nine Jordanian dinars (about GBP4.50 sterling) a month during their training. The pay rises to 15 dinars (GBP7.50) for the rest of the service.

Until conscription became compulsory, the two-year period of national service was voluntary.

The total strength of the Jordanian armed forces is more than 80,000, with an army of 75,000 men. The country also has a para-military force 10,000 consisting of a civil militia of 7,000 and a mobile police force of 3,000. The introduction of conscription brings the country in line with other Arab lands, including Egypt, Algeria and neighbouring Syria and Iraq.