US embassy cable - 03AMMAN8469

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 008469 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR 3133/USFCS/OIO/RD/BORR 
USDOC FOR 4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/NWEIGLER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/24/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION IN JORDAN 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 8237 
     B. AMMAN 8071 
     C. AMMAN 8299 
     D. AMMAN 8162 
     E. AMMAN 8205 
 
Classified By: AMB Edward Gnehm for reasons 1.5 (b) (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) This is one in a series of cables highlighting the 
support that the Government of Jordan and the US mission in 
Amman are providing to Iraq and CPA reconstruction efforts. 
Highlights in this installment include the "Outreach 2004" 
Iraq Reconstruction Trade Show; training of Iraqi police 
forces and trade officials; possible Jordanian support for 
Iraqi capital markets; cooperation between Jordanian and 
Iraqi Cancer hospitals; Japanese aid to Iraq; commercial air 
travel between Iraq and Jordan; an update on the issue of 
frozen Iraqi assets; and other related topics. End summary. 
 
Iraq Reconstruction Trade Show 
------------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) "Outreach 2004," the first American-organized trade 
show focused on rebuilding Iraq, will debut in Amman from 
January 10 to January 13.  Over 250 companies from around the 
world will exhibit their products at the Amman International 
Motorshow site.  The event will also include seminars at the 
Hyatt hotel, including a presentation by Admiral Nash, head 
of the CPA Office of Program Management, which is responsible 
for administering $18.6 billion in U.S. appropriated funds 
for Iraq reconstruction.  Over 100 Iraqi companies are 
expected to attend with support from the Iraqi-American 
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Kirkuk 
Business Center.  Kallman Worldwide is the organizer of the 
show, but has received extensive support from the Foreign 
Commercial Service office in Amman.  Assistant Secretary 
William Lash from the U.S. Department of Commerce as well as 
representatives from EXIM, OPIC, TDA, and State will 
participate in the event. 
 
Iraqi Police Training 
--------------------- 
 
3. (C) Embassy officers on December 15 checked on the 
progress of training for Iraqi police at a site in Jordan, 
just outside Amman (Ref B).  Jordanian and international 
police trainers are cooperating in this effort.  The first 
group of five hundred trainees arrived at the end of November 
for an eight-week course.  Another group of five hundred 
trainees was meant to arrive at the end of December, but will 
now arrive two weeks later in mid-January because their 
living quarters are not ready.  The training site did not 
exist several months ago and construction continues with the 
first group living in temporary quarters.  The international 
trainers, many of whom trained police in Bosnia, say they are 
confident the site will be ready to receive the second group 
of trainees by their now-scheduled arrival date. 
 
Government of Jordan to Host Iraqi Trade Officials 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
4. (U) The Jordanian Ministry of Industry and Trade will 
co-sponsor from January 6-8 a training conference for Iraqi 
trade officials on a system of registration for Iraqi 
companies.  Five members of the Iraqi Trade Ministry and 
eleven members of the Iraqi Business Council are expected to 
attend the event, which is being hosted by the U.S. and 
British Embassies and the Jordanian-American Business 
Association. 
 
CPA Studies Jordan's Capital Market 
----------------------------------- 
 
5. (U) A team from CPA visited Jordan in November to explore 
the possibility of using Jordan's Capital Market institutions 
to support the re-establishment of the Baghdad market.  Given 
the sophistication of Jordan's Securities Depository Center 
(a USAID/Jordan project), Jordan could be utilized as the 
depository for the Baghdad Market's trade.  The legal and 
regulatory work accomplished by Jordan over the last three 
years, with substantial USAID assistance, could be used as 
the basis for the establishment of Iraq's capital market. 
 
Cooperation Between Cancer Hospitals 
------------------------------------ 
 
6. (C) King Hussein Cancer Center, a private Amman hospital 
directed by NIH employee Samir Khleif, hosted a delegation of 
19 Iraqi cancer specialists for a follow-up meeting to a 
brainstorming session held at the hospital in June.  The 
meeting focused on prioritization of the needs of Iraqi 
cancer wards and identified ways in which KHCC could assist. 
KHCC plans to train groups of Iraqi cancer ward nurses as 
soon as the Iraqi Ministry of Health is able to identify and 
make arrangements for prospective candidates.  KHCC will also 
be a primary treatment center for medically evacuated Iraqis. 
 
Japanese Aid to Iraq 
-------------------- 
 
7. (U) The Japanese Consulting firm Nippon Koei has sent 
representatives to Amman on several occasions to consult with 
USAID on how the Japanese Government should design and 
implement programs for the $1.5 billion in official Japanese 
aid to Iraq.  Koei reports that it has won a tender for a 
significant portion of the Japanese assistance money, though 
we have not confirmed this through official sources.  Koei is 
primarily interested in the capacity of Jordanian NGOs to 
administer Japanese assistance for humanitarian activities. 
USAID/Jordan has facilitated contacts between Koei and 
USAID/Iraq, mostly by telephone since Japanese personnel are 
currently prohibited from traveling to Iraq. 
 
Royal Wings Charter flight 
-------------------------- 
 
8. (C) CPA advisors to the Ministry of Transport spent 
substantial time in Amman over the past two weeks negotiating 
with Royal Jordanian and other parties to resume air service 
between Jordan and Iraq (Ref C).  If reinitiated, a 
commercial charter would represent a substantial improvement 
over the level of air service currently available.  (Current 
air options for travel between Jordan and Iraq, which include 
U.S. Milair flights and USAID humanitarian charters, do not 
follow a regular schedule and/or are more restricted in the 
classes of passengers that they will accept.)  Embassy has 
also provided logistical support to CPA negotiators during 
this period.  The Jordanian government is evaluating the risk 
of resuming flights. 
 
Frozen Iraqi Assets Update 
-------------------------- 
 
9. (C) Rafidain Bank adviser Haydar Al-Uzri and ECON/C met 
with Jordanian Finance Minister Mohammed Abu Hammour to 
discuss the transfer of frozen Iraqi assets in Jordan to the 
DFI (Ref D).  Ambassador followed up this conversation with 
several top Jordanian officials (Ref E), and post is now 
preparing for the arrival of a working-level Iraqi team to 
review claims by Jordanian businesses on the frozen Iraqi 
assets. 
 
UNAMI Headquarters in Amman 
--------------------------- 
 
10. (U) The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq has established 
its headquarters in Amman pending the return of the 
organization to Iraq.  UNAMI will host monthly meetings of 
donor countries, UN agencies and NGOs, the first of which 
took place on December 9.  Officers from USAID and PRM 
represented Embassy Amman.  Topics of discussion included 
security issues (UNSECOORD), sectoral development issues, 
Security Council and General Assembly priorities, and 
implementation of reconstruction strategies by the 
international communities. 
 
IMF Meeting 
----------- 
 
11. (U) An Iraqi/CPA delegation met with IMF officials in 
Amman the week of December 8 to discuss prerequisites for 
Iraq initiating an IMF program and to more generally give top 
Iraqi officials exposure to the IMF and its standard 
procedures.  The Iraqi government officials and CPA advisors 
in the 57-member delegation were associated with the Iraqi 
Central Bank and the ministries of Finance, Industry and 
Minerals, and Trade. 
 
Agriculture Conference 
---------------------- 
 
12. (U) The American Soybean Association sponsored a 
conference in Amman the week of December 8 for Iraqi 
employees of the Ministry of Agriculture, providing 
information on procedures and U.S. aid available for the 
purchase of American grains. 
Iraq Coordination with other Embassies 
-------------------------------------- 
13. (U) Embassy Amman on December 17 hosted a luncheon for 
diplomats from other Embassies in Jordan to provide 
information on recent developments in CPA organizational 
structure.  ISU representative Major Andrea Begel discussed 
her visit to CPA Baghdad and provided a CPA organizational 
chart along with contact information for CPA ministries.  A 
political officer from the Swedish Embassy repeated an 
earlier inquiry about the detention of a Swedish-Iraqi 
citizen (see following section). 
 
Swedish Detainee in Iraq 
------------------------ 
 
14. (C) The Swedish Ambassador approached Ambassador Gnehm on 
December 17 to inquire about the detention of a Swedish/Iraqi 
citizen in Iraq.  The Swedes have been making inquiries on 
this subject since early November.  CENTCOM confirmed the 
detention of the Swedish citizen and Embassy Amman passed 
this information to the Swedish Embassy.  If Department sends 
a formal communication, we suggest it be conveyed in 
Stockholm or Washington. 
 
Visa Applications Increase at Embassy Amman 
------------------------------------------- 
 
15. (SBU) Visa applications at Embassy Amman have increased 
since the capture of Saddam.  Local staff reported that this 
is likely due to a rumor, currently circulating Amman, that 
the Embassy is celebrating the capture of Saddam Hussein by 
issuing more visas.  The number of Iraqis traveling to the 
U.S. on CPA-funded travel has also increased and CPA has been 
helpful in giving advance notice.  The first 26 Iraqi 
Fulbright Scholars are in process and should arrive in Amman 
January 11.  With the recent installation of NIV fingerprint 
capture software and hardware, as required of all posts, the 
Embassy has begun fingerprinting visa applicants as required 
by law. 
 
Logistical Support Provided by Embassy Amman 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
16. (U) The Iraq Support Unit (ISU) at Embassy Amman provided 
logistical support to over 100 CPA and Iraqi Ministry 
travelers during the month of December.  In many cases 
Embassy Amman facilitated visas for Iraqi travelers 
continuing on to other locations, including conferences in 
Europe.  Embassy Amman also provided support to the Iraqi 
Symphony Orchestra on its way to the Kennedy Center in 
Washington.  During this same period 5 CODELS passed through 
Amman on their way to and from Iraq and for meetings with 
Jordanian officials. 
GNEHM