Press Release- Jun 01, 2007
OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2007
Contact:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370
Maj. Renee Cunningham, 720.226.5553 cell
GOV. RITTER TO MEET WITH JORDANIAN PRINCE ON SUNDAY
Gov. Bill Ritter, Colorado National Guard Adjutant General H. Michael Edwards and First Lady Jeannie Ritter will host a state dinner on Sunday for His Royal Highness, Lt. Gen. Prince Feisal Al Hussein Al Hashemi of Jordan.
A news conference is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. Sunday June 3 at the Carriage House on the grounds of the Governor's Executive Residence (8th and Logan). The media entrance will be through the delivery gate off of Logan Street.
ALL NEWS MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES MUST BE PRE-CREDENTIALLED BY THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL. To accomplish this, contact Maj. Renee Cunningham, (720) 226-5553 or Jacqueline.Cunningham@peterson.af.mil, by 4 p.m., Saturday, June 2, with the names, organization and point of contact for those who will be attending the press conference. For questions en route, contact Maj. Renee Cunningham at (720) 226-5553.
Gov. Ritter will present the Prince with a proclamation solidifying Colorado's relationship with Jordan in the State Partnership Program. The program will involve the sharing of governmental strategies relating to economic and social development, as well as continued military exchanges stemming from the Governor's position as commander-in-chief of the Colorado National Guard.
Colorado and Jordan have been in cooperation since 2003 and have officially been linked through the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program since July 2004, following the support of Gen. John Abizaid, commander, U.S. Central Command.
Jordan is a key country in the Global War on Terror and a priority country for U.S. Central Command's long-term security cooperation plan. In addition to the economic and social development facets of the partnership, it also builds trust and understanding in military relationships, which directly contribute to combat effectiveness.
Numerous military joint component exchanges, consisting of familiarization and observation, have been held since the relationship began, to include an upcoming visit to Jordan by newly appointed Adjutant General of Colorado, Maj. Gen. Michael Edwards.
Colorado was the second state to establish dual foreign partnerships (Maryland being the first). In addition to Jordan, Colorado entered a State Partnership Program relationship with Slovenia in 1994. Slovenia has since become a full member of NATO and the European Union.