US embassy cable - 04AMMAN6765

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 006765 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPAL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: GENEVA ACCORD BACKERS CONVENE IN JORDAN; GOJ 
WORKING PRISONER ISSUE WITH ISRAEL 
 
REF: AMMAN 6575 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary.  Geneva Accord supporters met at the Dead 
Sea August 5-7.  They agreed to develop a response to PM 
Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan in the coming weeks.  Prior to 
kicking off the meeting, Foreign Minister Muasher met with 
the Israeli author of the plan, Yossi Beilin, and re-stated 
Jordan's position that any withdrawal must come in the 
context of the roadmap.  Muasher repeated that Jordan has no 
designs on the West Bank, but will offer training to 
Palestinian security forces if the Palestinians ask for it. 
Meanwhile, an MFA official says he is working on a date for a 
GOJ delegation to visit Israel on the prisoner issue.  End 
Summary. 
 
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GENEVA ACCORD SUPPORTERS PLAN RESPONSE TO SHARON 
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2. (C)  More than 70 supporters of the Geneva Accord, 
including Yossi Beilin and Yasser Abd Rabbo, convened at a 
Dead Sea resort in Jordan August 5-7 to discuss the current 
state of play in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and next 
steps in advancing their unofficial peace plan.  The weekend 
gathering was preceded by a meeting between Foreign Minister 
Muasher and Beilin in Amman on August 5.  Muasher, who also 
attended the opening of the Dead Sea meeting later that day, 
emphasized that Jordan backs all efforts that lead to 
implementation of the roadmap, and reiterated that Sharon's 
Gaza withdrawal plan must be carried out in that context. 
Muasher repeated the GOJ's willingness to train Palestinian 
security forces if the Palestinian Authority requests help. 
However, he emphasized that Jordan is not looking for a 
larger role in the West Bank. 
 
3.  (C)  According to Ashraf Zeitoon, MFA official 
responsible for the Palestinian-Israeli portfolio in 
Muasher's private office, a "pessimistic" pall overshadowed 
the gathering, contrasting with the optimistic mood that 
characterized the unofficial kick-off of the accord in Jordan 
last November.  He said that several participants voiced 
their growing concern that the withdrawal from Gaza will not 
lead to an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank as 
envisioned in the roadmap, but will in fact be an end in 
itself.  Both sides resolved to continue dialogue in the 
coming weeks and develop a joint response to Sharon's plan, 
emphasizing the importance of adhering to the road map to 
achieve a comprehensive political solution. 
 
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GOJ PUSHES TO RESOLVE PRISONER ISSUE 
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4.  (C)  Separately, Zeitoon said the MFA is still trying to 
work out the details for a possible GOJ visit to Israel to 
push for the release of Jordanian prisoners.  He said that 
the Israelis now are proposing that the four Jordanians 
accused of murdering Israelis "repent" in writing for their 
crimes before initiating a legal process that might lead to 
their release, something Zeitoon says the prisoners are 
unwilling to do.  Zeitoon said the MFA will not set a date 
for a delegation to travel to Israel until the GOJ is sure 
that something positive would result from such a trip.  He 
added that the MFA is considering bringing some of the 
prisoners' family members if they go to Israel to help 
convince them to "repent."  He says meeting this latest 
Israeli requirement would not necessarily mean the prisoners' 
immediate release; this still would have to be decided by the 
Israeli courts. 
 
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COMMENT 
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5.  (C)  Jordanian officials are quick to point out that they 
played only a facilitating role in the Dead Sea meeting. 
However, hosting the Geneva Accord supporters, and Muasher's 
one-on-one meeting with Beilin, indicate more than tacit 
endorsement of the plan.  It also points to the GOJ's 
keenness to ensure Jordan's interests are not overlooked.  As 
suggested in recent press interviews and comments to us, the 
Jordanians are looking for anything that can break the 
stalemate in the peace process and alleviate the growing 
pressure from domestic critics of Jordan's peace treaty with 
Israel.  One contact commented to PolOff that other matters 
-- including the recent fray between anti-normalizers and a 
reform-minded member of Parliament reported septel -- are 
distracting the opposition from the prisoner issue, for now. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site 
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page. 
HALE