Queen Noor for Diana's Cause

By Stephen M. Silverman

05/04/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

Jordan's Queen Noor is stepping into the late Princess Diana's role to lobby against landmines. Appearing Thursday at Washington's National Press Club, Noor, who is a patron and honorary chair of the Landmine Survivors Network, told PEOPLE about the Diana connection to the cause: "I wouldn't say I've followed in her footsteps, because her contribution was unique in that her public persona was unique." Noor praised Diana for the work she had done with survivors' groups in landmine-infested countries. "I was particularly pleased when Princess Diana made her two visits to Bosnia and Angola to highlight the humanitarian crisis caused by landmines. I felt that that was truly fulfilling, in a very important way, the potential of her public role and, if you will, fate." Added Her Majesty: "I thought that was one of the most constructive and important contributions that she made, and heartily cheered her on, and was very, very sad when she wasn't able to continue with that."