US embassy cable - 03AMMAN5499

S E C R E T AMMAN 005499 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/28/2013 
TAGS: PREL, CVIS, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN MAY IMPLEMENT STRICT CONTROLS ON ENTRY OF 
IRAQIS 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Doug Silliman for reasons 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1.  (C)  Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb told Charge and 
EconCouns August 28 that the GOJ is actively considering a 
considerable tightening of controls on Iraqis entering 
Jordan, including the possibility of a new visa requirement. 
Abul Ragheb said that Jordan was very concerned about the 
authenticity of Iraqi travel documents, noting that "there 
are new passports floating around," and the GOJ is unable to 
determine whether they are valid.  The Charge inquired 
whether the recently destroyed Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad 
would be able to accept, adjudicate or issue visas. 
 
2.  (C)  PolCouns and PolOff subsequently confirmed the 
outlines of an emerging new GOJ policy with MFA legal advisor 
Samer Naber and MFA Private Office Iraq action officer Samer 
Dabbas.  Both confirmed that an August 28 meeting between 
Interior and GID officials had determined that Jordan will 
recognize expired Iraqi passports only for departure from 
Jordan back to Iraq, but not/not for entry into Jordan. 
 
3.  (S)  Naber (likely exceeding his brief, please protect) 
said that it was his understanding that border officials 
would not/not recognize the validity of either expired or 
CPA-extended Iraqi passports.  In addition, Naber said, a 
preliminary decision had been made to require visas of Iraqi 
travelers, and that, although visa applications and fees 
would be collected at the Jordanian Embassy in Baghdad, all 
decisions regarding issuance or denial would be made in 
Amman.  The basis for this decision, he said, was a "security 
directive" from the GID expressing grave concern that 
undesirable Iraqis could gain access to Jordan under the 
currently unclear (and much more generous) entry rules. 
Naber noted that this decision ran counter to an MFA memo to 
the PM several days ago that recommended approval of the 
opening of an Iraqi liaison office in Amman, and 
standardization and loosening of border controls on Iraqis. 
Naber said that he does not believe the decision to tighten 
border controls will affect the MFA's recommendation to 
permit the opening of an Iraqi liaison office in the former 
Iraqi Embassy.  Naber said that a second meeting of the 
Interior Ministry and GID -- this time including MFA 
representation -- will be held September 2 to "discuss and 
finalize" these decisions. 
 
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COMMENT 
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4.  (C)  Given the increasing numbers of Iraqis -- both 
official and private -- who are transiting Amman, a Jordanian 
decision not to recognize CPA-extended passports and to 
require visas could virtually shut down transit of Iraqis 
into and through Jordan, at least in the short term.  It 
could also seriously affect the ability of CPA and newly 
appointed Iraqi officials to conduct a dialogue with the GOJ. 
 This decision in process appears to be driven by security 
concerns, and could be due partly to the large number of ad 
hoc interventions of the Embassy and other organizations with 
the GOJ in recent weeks to permit the entry of CPA-affiliated 
and humanitarian case Iraqis with expired, questionable, or 
no travel documents. 
HALE