US embassy cable - 04AMMAN1469

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 001469 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2014 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: MFA IN BAGHDAD TELLS IRAQ MISSION IN AMMAN TO HALT 
ISSUANCE OF INTERIM TRAVEL DOCUMENT(ITD) 
 
REF: A. AMMAN 1337 B. AMMAN 724 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Doug Silliman for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Maan Barakat, Charge d'Affaires at the Iraq Mission in 
Amman, told PolOff February 24 that he had been instructed by 
the Consular Department at the MFA in Baghdad to stop issuing 
ITDs.  Barakat said he was advised that the ITD and the 
accompanying stamp imprint were too easy to forge.  He 
confirmed that the Iraqi mission in Amman had issued 157 ITDs 
to date. 
 
2. (C) Barakat claimed that the U.K. Embassy was refusing to 
issue student visas to Iraqi ITD holders, and limited visa 
issuance to those who were seeking medical treatment or 
holding official invitations to visit the U.K.  As to ITDs 
and Jordan, Barakat said he understood that as of a week ago, 
the GOJ was allowing Iraqi ITD holders entering from Iraq to 
remain in Jordan for one week, versus the previous policy of 
allowing them a two week stay.  Those entering Jordan with 
Iraqi passports (valid or expired) were being allowed to stay 
for two weeks with extensions of up to 3 months allowed. 
 
3. (C) Comment: We cannot confirm the details of Barakat's 
description of British or Jordanian ITD acceptance policy. 
In fact, the GOJ appears to be taking a liberal -- but case 
by case  -- approach to accepting ITDs.  An official at the 
British Embassy in Amman cited student visas as the only 
exception to an otherwise liberal acceptance of the ITD for 
UK visa issuance.  An official with CPA Baghdad confirmed 
that the Iraqi MFA ordered all Iraqi missions to halt 
issuance of ITDs.  The official said that "in order for an 
ITD to be valid - it needs to have both a wet stamp and dry 
seal."  Apparently, Iraqi missions abroad were not provided 
with dry seals.  MFA HQ hoped to send dry seals out by 
Saturday, February 28, allowing Iraqi missions to commence 
ITD issuance the following week.  End Comment. 
 
4. (U) CPA Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at 
http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/amman/ 
or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET 
home page. 
GNEHM