US embassy cable - 04AMMAN2729

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002729 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, PHUM, ECON, KMDR, JO 
SUBJECT: PARTIAL JORDANIAN DOMESTIC REFORM PLAN IN DRAFT, 
BUT NOT YET APPROVED 
 
REF: AMMAN 1110 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edward Gnehm for reason 1.5 (d) 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) The Jordanians are continuing their efforts to give 
the reform effort a local flavor, in both the regional and 
their domestic agendas.  Jordan is already a regional leader 
in innovative economic reform and liberalization.  The GOJ 
itself has recently been more forward leaning in its calls 
for political reform and has created a draft domestic plan 
that reflects the efforts of its most progressive members. 
During his recent visit to Washington, FM Muasher distributed 
copies of this plan.  While the ministries of Foreign Affairs 
and Justice and the Higher Media Council have contributed 
specific objectives and recommended actions to build on the 
extensive economic and educational reforms undertaken in the 
last four years, other ministries' contributions to the 
document -- in contrast to their actual performance -- are 
more general and less dynamic.  GOJ officials tell us that 
the Cabinet has discussed, but not yet approved, the reform 
plan.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------ 
REFORM PLANS 
------------ 
 
2. (C) During FM Marwan Muasher,s visit to Washington early 
in March, he provided the Secretary and other USG officials 
with the 34-page &Government Plan for Political Reform in 
Jordan.8  It contains key strategic objectives in areas 
including freedoms of press and assembly, empowerment of 
women, development of political parties, judicial and 
educational reform, and growth of civil society.  The plan 
includes a detailed judicial reform strategy and a 
comprehensive listing of required steps for ratification of 
many (but not all) international agreements dealing with 
human rights.  Objectives for political reforms, however, are 
described only in general terms with no real timelines or 
plan of action.  In addition, the GOJ has prepared a draft 
revision to the law governing the print press and is working 
on a new set of proposals to liberalize the broadcast media 
that are to be presented soon to the Parliament, according to 
GOJ and press contacts. 
 
3. (C) Post has reviewed the document and discussed it with 
GOJ contacts, who indicate that it does not yet reflect a 
cabinet consensus.  Despite recent press reports that led 
readers to believe that there had been cabinet action, the 
Prime Ministry's director of legislative affairs, Ali 
Hindawi, confirmed to us on April 8 that the plan is still 
under discussion in the Cabinet and has not gotten final 
Cabinet approval.  A senior MFA official told us that the 
document as currently constituted reflects the views of a few 
key reform-minded ministers in the sphere of politics.  Among 
these are FM Marwan Muasher and Justice Minister Salah 
al-Bashir, whose ministries expended considerable effort in 
contributing to the plan, as well as Government Spokeswoman 
Asma Khader.  The powerless Ministry of Political Development 
and Parliamentary Affairs, on the other hand, did not seem to 
have given serious thought to how or when it intends to 
implement most political reforms -- reforms which in any 
event are driven by the Palace, not the Ministry. 
 
4. (U) Having acceded to the WTO in 2000, joined other 
international economic conventions, and enacted dozens of 
economic reform laws to meet those and bilateral FTA 
commitments, Jordan is already a model of economic reform in 
the region. The planned political and judicial reforms would 
have the added benefit of promoting higher-end economic 
reforms in critical areas such as IPR.  Similarly, the GOJ 
has demonstrated impressive commitment to education reform. 
Supported by a number of donors including USAID, UNESCO has 
termed Jordan's "a model education reform program." 
 
------------------ 
THE GOJ SPEAKS OUT 
------------------ 
 
5. (C) While visiting Turkey in March, King Abdullah repeated 
a strong call for reform in the region, but focused on 
reforms initiated from within the Arab world.  He warned that 
&if we fail to sign a (reform) deal(at the Tunis summit, we 
will unfortunately face impositions by the international 
community(and pressure from outside can only have negative 
impacts.8  In the last few weeks, cabinet members including 
Prime Minister Faisal al-Fayez, FonMin Muasher, Spokesperson 
Asma Khader and others have made similar calls for political 
reform from within.  Paradoxically, the Foreign Minister told 
visiting NSC officials March 31 that the delay of the Arab 
Summit will likely strengthen those who want to pass a reform 
agenda. 
6. (U) On the domestic front, in mid-March the Arabic daily 
Al-Ra,i published a lengthy interview with al-Fayez, who 
stressed that the government was not dragging its feet on 
reform and stated that Jordan,s domestic reform plan is 
&more or less ready,8 though still under discussion by the 
cabinet.  He mentioned his intent to draft new election and 
political parties laws, as well as promote increased 
participation in the political process by women and youth. 
Al-Fayez said &we no longer want a silent majority in 
Jordan.8 
 
--------------------- 
THE VIEW OF THE PRESS 
--------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) Press commentary continues to be skeptical, even 
alarmist when the reform issue is defined as a result of U.S. 
pressure.  Those commentators known to support reform have 
been cautious about embracing the government's proclaimed 
reform agenda (see reftel).  Uncertain of where the King's 
reform red lines are drawn, the press and reform supporters 
are content for now to let him and the government take the 
lead, rather than expose themselves. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
8. (C) The document presented to the Secretary is designed to 
capture ongoing, home-grown reforms and show that Jordan is 
ahead of U.S. reform objectives for the region.  It is 
consistent with and supportive of numerous pronouncements by 
the King directing his government to move forward on reform. 
The GOJ has also tried to position itself at the leading edge 
of the reform curve in the region. 
 
9. (C) While it is clear that economic and judicial, and to a 
lesser extent press/media, reforms are moving ahead, 
political reform is slower and much less clear.  Formal 
cabinet approval of the plan was supposed to have been 
secured at several points over the past month, but not all 
has gone as one might have expected.  Tension between the 
very conservative Parliament and reformist cabinet is ever 
present, though when all is said and done, PM al-Fayez is 
also a traditionalist.  Advancing real further political 
reform will require forceful Palace leadership. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified web site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman or access the site 
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page. 
GNEHM