US embassy cable - 04AMMAN7404

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 007404 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/2/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KPAL, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: GOJ REFORMERS TOUT PROGRESS DURING MEETINGS WITH 
S/P DIRECTOR REISS, BUT ACTIVISTS NOTE HUGE CHALLENGES 
REMAIN 
 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  Key GOJ reformers presented a positive 
picture to S/P Director Mitchell Reiss of Jordan's pioneering 
progress to implement key economic, political and social 
reforms, but acknowledged that significant obstacles remain. 
Several activists, including a former Prime Minister, are not 
quite as optimistic, expressing impatience at the slow pace 
of political reform and the GOJ's unwillingness to address 
fundamental inequities in society, particularly vis-a-vis the 
Palestinian population in Jordan.  Others expressed support 
for the Broader Middle East initiative, and encouraged the 
backers not to shy away from criticism from Arab leaders.  A 
roundtable discussion with university student leaders showed 
that regional political issues, particularly the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, continue to dominate the psyche 
of most Jordanians.  End Summary. 
 
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GOJ REFORMERS TOUT PROGRESS, APPEAL FOR MORE HELP 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
2.  (C)  During separate meetings in Amman August 30 and 31 
with visiting S/P Director Mitchell Reiss, Deputy Director 
Barry Lowenkron, S/P member Charles Dunne, and Charge, 
Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Bassem 
Awadallah and Justice Minister Salah al-Bashir painted an 
optimistic picture of the progress of Jordan's reform 
program, but noted the challenges ahead.  Noting that he 
would travel to Wilton Park the next day for a conference to 
discuss reform issues with representatives from other Arab 
countries, Awadallah highlighted Jordan's pioneering role in 
implementing a wide-ranging reform program at home and 
regionally.  These policies are driven by the GOJ's 
recognition that Jordan needs to build a modern, inclusive 
society free of nepotism and corruption that supports the 
growth of all people.  For his part, Bashir noted he is 
spearheading a regional reform program under the auspices of 
the OECD in which participating Arab countries will develop 
pilot programs on select issues (Bashir will head the one on 
judicial reform, for example) that they hope to use as a 
model for the region. 
 
3.  (C)  Awadallah and Bashir appealed for more U.S. 
assistance to help move Jordan's reform program along. 
Echoing FM Muasher's comments to Ambassador Reiss reported 
septel, Awadallah suggested that the U.S. consider tying its 
aid to progress on reform.  Ambassador Reiss noted that 
Jordan is viewed as a model for reform and its support on 
multiple bilateral, regional and global issues is highly 
valued. 
 
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BUT HUGE OBSTACLES REMAIN 
------------------------- 
 
4.  (C)  Reflecting complaints from civil society leaders and 
activists, Awadallah acknowledged that the challenges are 
"huge."  Involving youth in the process is paramount, and 
making sure that the economic reforms translates into 
improved quality of life for citizens is key.  Political 
reform is probably one of the most difficult aspects of the 
reform program since "democracy only came to us in 1989." 
(Note: This refers to the re-establishment of Jordan's 
parliament by King Hussein, and other initiatives begun that 
year. End note.)  Alluding to Jordan's election law that 
favors the East Bank, tribal community at the expense of 
Jordan's urban, majority Palestinian origin population, 
Awadallah (himself of Palestinian origin) said: "We don't 
have proportional representation... this problem stems from 
the (Palestinian-Israeli conflict).  Until it is dealt with, 
we won't be a truly representational society."   Bashir said 
that his (USAID-backed) judicial reform program is partly 
intended to address social ills in Jordan, such as helping 
empower women and children through legislation reform that 
supports human rights and the rule of law. 
 
5.  (C)  Prominent Jordanian-Palestinians who met with 
Ambassador Reiss over lunch echoed these concerns, and 
highlighted the dampening effect Jordan's security apparatus 
has on Jordanian society.  Former Senator Marwan Dudin said 
that many parents discourage their children from engaging in 
political activity for fear it could come back to haunt them 
as they seek to advance in their careers (most employers 
require "good conduct" reports from the intelligence service 
before hiring someone).  Interference from the intelligence 
apparatus in every day affairs, from choosing university 
administrators, to issuing permits for cultural events, to 
issuing work permits, has a hold on society that will be 
difficult to break, according to former royal court adviser 
(and former Ambassador to the UN) Adnan Abu Odeh. 
 
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SUPPORT FOR U.S. REFORM INITIATIVES 
----------------------------------- 
 
6.  (C)  Awadallah expressed support for the Broader Middle 
East Initiative, and believes that the U.S. strategy of 
consultation with regional leaders has worked to produce a 
better plan.  He cautioned that the September BMENA 
ministerial in New York must be planned carefully to maintain 
momentum, and expressed hope that other regional countries 
would attend, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  Awadallah 
advocated establishing benchmarks for progress in Arab 
reform, and said that Jordan would continue to push forward 
on this issue. 
7.  (C)  Activists who met Ambassador Reiss over dinner 
expressed support for BMENA as well, and noted the evolution 
of the initiative that demonstrates the U.S. intends to 
support indigenous reform efforts already under way. During 
the lunch, Abu Odeh encouraged Ambassador Reiss not to give 
in to criticism from the region, especially from those who 
complain the U.S. wants to impose its will on the Arab world. 
 Former Prime Minister Taher al-Masri (also of Palestinian 
origin) echoed this sentiment, saying that the criticism is 
empty talk from leaders who resist change because that could 
mean a loss of their own power.  However, Masri (and nearly 
every Jordanian whom Ambassador Reiss met during the course 
of his visit) cautioned that failure to solve the 
Palestinian-Israeli conflict will hinder regional reform 
efforts, and appealed for the U.S. to do more to bring peace 
to the region. 
 
8.  (C)  While sounding support for U.S. efforts to encourage 
reform, through bilateral pressure if necessary, Ambassador 
Reiss's luncheon interlocutors said they detected a lack of 
momentum in U.S. efforts.  One said the moment he heard U.S. 
officials begin to speak of supporting only "indigenous" 
reform efforts and moving at a pace acceptable to countries 
of the region, he decided USG resolve was wavering and was 
thus scaling back its initiative. 
 
9.  (C)  The Ambassador met with student leaders who had 
visited the U.S. on exchange programs sponsored by the Middle 
East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).  One student sought 
reassurances from Ambassador Reiss that the U.S. reform 
programs would remain even if there is a change in leadership 
after the U.S. presidential election.  Another expressed his 
amazement that the U.S. dared to challenge Arab leaders to 
reform politically, something he fears they will never allow. 
 They called for more money to be spent on exchange programs 
to break down cultural barriers and counter the negative and 
misleading images that permeate Arab and western media. 
 
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JORDANIANS PREOCCUPIED WITH REGIONAL CONFLICTS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
10.  (C)  Awadallah said that the Israeli-Palestinian 
conflict reflected the "collective failure" of everyone 
involved, and most Jordanian interlocutors agreed with 
Ambassador Reiss that Arafat is part of the problem, not part 
of the solution.  Former PM al-Masri said that the conflict 
to Jordan's west has direct bearing on Jordanians given 
family ties and Jordan's history with the West Bank.  The 
humanitarian suffering cannot be ignored, and the negative 
security implications for Jordan are huge.   Masri said 
pushing both sides to implement the roadmap is key, and 
leaving Arafat as a figurehead may be the only way in the end 
to marginalize him.  He said that Arafat is stronger when 
he's isolated, and opined that it would behoove the U.S. (in 
conjunction with the Arab states) to encourage the EU to 
withdraw European support in order to encourage change.  "It 
is not an exaggeration to say that growing anti-U.S. 
sentiment is directly tied to the Palestinian problem."  But 
he said the Arab states have the tools to strengthen 
alternative leaders in the West Bank and Gaza by building on 
social, cultural and economic ties.  He said that Jordan and 
Egypt need to get over their fear about Palestinian criticism 
about getting involved.  "We have the means, support, people 
there.  We should be able to capitalize on this." 
 
11.  (C)  During a roundtable discussion with university 
students to discuss reform, the bulk of the conversation 
focused on conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians and in 
Iraq.  Students argued about the merits of continuing the 
fight against Israel.  One young veiled woman of Palestinian 
origin defended suicide bombings as legitimate resistance, 
indeed, part of a religiously-sanctioned struggle against 
Jews, to which Ambassador Reiss countered that such violence 
was not justified in Islamic teachings and only hurt the 
Palestinian cause.   (The young woman was taken to task by 
another female student, who cautioned her to distinguish at 
least between Jews and Israelis.) 
 
12.  (C)  Iraqi students attending university in Jordan hoped 
the U.S. would stay the course in Iraq, and sparred with 
Jordanian students during the meeting with Ambassador Reiss 
who criticized the U.S. role there as an "occupation" and 
demanded an immediate withdrawal.  An exasperated Iraqi said 
a U.S. withdrawal at this point would be a disaster because 
they are needed to help stabilize the country.  He questioned 
why Arabs felt justified criticizing the U.S. in Iraq when it 
was the Iraqi people who suffered under Saddam while the 
Arabs watched for 35 years.  At this point, the Iraqis should 
take the positive things the U.S. can offer, ignore the 
negatives, and hope for the best in the end. 
 
13.  (U)  Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
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