Prince Feisal Al Hussein

'The bombings have united Jordanians from all walks of life in a feeling that this type of atrocity is completely unacceptable,' he says. 'It is the same in the business community, people are united and defiant in their opposition, and even a business conference in the hotel where one bomb exploded still went ahead the next day.

'There is no reason for multinationals to change their plans. It is always a concern that there is no way to guarantee 100% security in public places where people meet. But we have very good security services, and have been handling terrorism since the 1960s.'

Lieutenant General Prince Feisal Al Hussein is the Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, specializing in joint operations and inter-agency cooperation for homeland security. He has held various positions in the Royal Jordanian Air Force since 1981, becoming Chief of Air Staff from 2002 until 2004.

'This is my fifth visit to the Dubai Air Show, and I still have a passion for aircraft. It is also an occasion that brings together high-ranking commanders from around the region, and is a chance to meet old friends and to make new allegiances.'

Regional response

Clearly His Royal Highness is hoping for a concerted regional response to the atrocities in Amman, and sadly he notes that many other countries have found themselves in a similar position.

'The whole region has suffered from terrorism. Nobody is immune,' he says. 'Look at what is happening in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and even Qatar. But what happened in Amman has disgusted everyone. To bomb a wedding with young children present and two families on such a happy occasion is a perversion of a religion that talks about faith and the sanctity of life.'

He agrees that tourism will suffer a setback but he hopes that many travelers will recall the warmth of their earlier welcome in Jordan and not feel unduly intimidated. Meanwhile, he promises that there will be 'no slowdown' in the ambitious program of economic reform set out by his brother King Abdullah for the next 10 years.

Economic reform

'Jordan is on the right track in terms of greater transparency and far more effective rules and regulations, and the recent announcements of major projects demonstrate a considerable confidence in the future,' says Prince Feisal who received his Masters of Management from London Business School in 1998.

'There is a parallel between Jordan and Dubai in that both are pushing for economic development and are led by people of vision who know what they want to achieve. Both places too have limited oil wealth and so have to create a viable non-oil economy to ensure future prosperity.

'Jordan is also something of an island of stability in a troubled region. We thrive with our Hashemite tolerance and a high degree of industry, and are inclusive and not exclusive in an open and free country. We will not transform into a police state as a reaction to terrorism.'

Prince Feisal believes that Jordan can also act as a role model for other country's in the region, again mirroring Dubai: 'Jordan's Free Trade Agreement with the US, for example, has been taken up by other nations, and also our membership of the World Trade Organization.

'This is part of His Majesty's vision to transform into a modern Arab state, and we have to continue to move forward to create a third millennium country despite the being surrounded by the problems of our neighbors.'