¡¡¡¡AMMAN, Oct. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday asked Royal Court Minister Faisal al-Fayez to form a new government to replace the cabinet of outgoing Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb, official Petra news agency reported.

¡¡¡¡"We are standing today on the threshold of a new phase...in the political development of Jordan which is our priority," the king said in a statement.

¡¡¡¡He expressed his hope that the new cabinet, as a team, will support the causes of the Palestinians and Iraqis.

¡¡¡¡Earlier on Wednesday, Abu Ragheb, who had made six changes in his cabinet since he took office in June 2000, submitted his resignation to the king, the report said.

¡¡¡¡Fayez, 51, who had studied in Britain and gained a degree in international relations from Boston University, was appointed as royal court minister in March.

¡¡¡¡On Tuesday, Information Minister Nabil Sharif praised Fayez as a "well-experienced man," saying that he is "absolutely capable of carrying out responsibilities and serving his country and his people."

¡¡¡¡Fayez is the third prime minister to serve under King Abdullah II, who ascended the throne four and half years ago.

¡¡¡¡Politicians and officials said the king demands the forming of the new government in order to continue Jordan's IMF-guided free market reforms and traditional support for US policies in the region.

¡¡¡¡The majority of Jordanians believed that Abu Ragheb's governmentfailed in the battle against poverty, unemployment and corruption, according to a poll by the Center for Strategic Studies in August.

¡¡¡¡Critics also accused the Abu Ragheb cabinet of spawning corruption and graft, but supporters said he has ushered in an economic turnaround and helped reverse poor investor morale amid regional conflict. Enditem