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| King Hussein of Jordan shakes hands with his brother prince Hassan prior to his departure to the United States for further examinations. (AFP) |
Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, January 26, 1999; 8:10 a.m. EST
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) -- King Hussein left for the United States today for urgent medical treatment after suffering what his doctor described as a possible recurrence of cancer.
The 63-year-old king departed hours after naming his eldest son, Abdullah, as his future successor.
Hussein returned to Jordan only seven days ago following six months of treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Lt. Gen. Samir Farraj, Hussein's private physician, said the monarch suffered from ``low blood counts and fever and I, as well as doctors from the Mayo Clinic, thought it is best to send him back to the clinic for checkups and treatment.''
Farraj spoke to The Associated Press before his departure with Hussein. He declined to provide other details.
Officials said Hussein left after a brief ceremony at the airport to swear in Abdullah as regent in his absence. Hours earlier Abdullah, 36, was sworn in as crown prince in the palace.
Former Crown Prince Hassan, the king's brother, attended the ceremony, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Hussein was accompanied on his flight by his American-born wife, Queen Noor, and a team of physicians from the Mayo Clinic who have been supervising his care in Jordan.
In a letter to Hassan, the king said he was disappointed in his brother's performance during his absence. The letter said Hassan had acted as if Hussein was never coming back to the throne, which he inherited from his father Talal in 1952 at age 17.
Speculation was that the king changed the line of succession for fear that if Hassan became king, it would be his sons -- and not Hussein's -- who would succeed to the throne.
Although Hussein has looked frail since his return, he spoke strongly in several television interviews. The hair and eyebrows he lost in six rounds of chemotherapy treatment had begun growing back.
However, palace officials said Hussein was tired and had been reluctant to go to his office. In television segments broadcast this morning, the king was shown leaning on a stick and looking flushed.
Jordanian newspapers reported that Hussein met with senior security, army and government officials before daybreak today to outline the changes in the royal posts and to give policy guidelines.
Abdullah is an army major general and in charge of a special force that oversees the security of the royal family. He attended military schools in England and the United States. His political views are largely unknown.
© Copyright 1999 The Associated Press
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