US embassy cable - 04AMMAN8686

S E C R E T AMMAN 008686 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KMPI, JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN AND SYRIA DISCUSS BORDER DISPUTE 
 
REF: AMMAN 7201 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). 
 
1. (S) Summary: Foreign Minister Muasher informed us October 
18 that joint Syria-Jordan border committee discussions were 
focused now on possible land swaps to satisfy Syrian concerns 
about the fate of the 1,000 Syrian nationals living in 
Syrian-occupied Jordanian territory. The Jordanian-Syrian 
committee will continue discussions. End Summary. 
 
2. (U) Local and international Arab dailies recently claimed 
that Jordan and Syria were close to resolving their 
long-standing border dispute. Jordanian daily Al Dustour 
reported October 15 that both countries had agreed in 
principle to withdraw their forces to the demarcation line 
drawn by the French and British in 1923. Syrian Economy and 
Trade Minister Dr. Amir Lutfi was quoted in Arabic daily 
al-Arab al-Yawm October 12 as saying that Syria's occupation 
of Jordanian territory was "unintentional" and that the 
border dispute would be resolved "very soon." Lufti further 
stated that a ministerial-level meeting was being planned 
following Ramadan (which ends on/about November 13) to 
discuss the border and other issues of "mutual cooperation." 
 
3. (S) FM Muasher told A/S Burns and Charge October 18 that 
the joint Syrian-Jordanian border committee had met recently 
(with more meetings to come), but that negotiations were not 
complete. According to Muasher, the focus of negotiations is 
on a recently raised concern about an estimated 1,000 Syrian 
nationals living in Syrian-occupied Jordanian territory. 
Jordanian officials see this concern as either an effort to 
throw another obstacle in the path of agreement or as an 
unwarranted bid for Jordanian compensation. However, Muasher 
said, the committee is considering possible land swaps, to 
include 2.5 square kilometers of Syrian territory occupied by 
Jordan, to help prevent displacement of inhabitants in the 
disputed region. Muasher said the King wanted to move quickly 
to resolve the issue, while Syria is feeling U.S. and 
international pressure. DAO septel will report a more 
pessimistic read-out on the joint talks from Jordanian 
military participants. 
 
4. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
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. 
HALE