US embassy cable - 05AMMAN216

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 000216 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2010 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, JO, IZ 
SUBJECT: FM MULKI ON SHARM FOLLOW-UP, ARAB LEAGUE 
MINISTERIAL, GULF OIL 
 
REF: A. STATE 5042 
 
     B. 04 STATE 275413 
 
Classified By: Charge David Hale, Reasons 1.4 (B) & (D) 
 
1.  (C) Charge reviewed the demarche (ref a) on the January 
11 Sharm Conference Follow-up Meeting with Foreign Minister 
al-Mulki on January 10.  Advised by Egyptian FM Abdul Ghaith 
that his presence at the ambassadors-level meeting was not 
necessary, Mulki is sending Jordan's Ambassador to Egypt, 
Omar al-Rifai(Mulki will be present at the January 12 Arab 
League Extraordinary Foreign Ministerial).  Mulki said he had 
already instructed Rifai to ensure that the conference hewed 
to the line taken in the Iraq neighbors' conference 
statement, particularly on elections.  Charge emphasized the 
need to focus as well on support for the new institutions 
emerging after the elections.  Mulki undertook to press our 
same demarche points with colleagues.  He was leaving January 
10 with PM al-Fayez on a trip to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and 
Kuwait. 
 
2.  (C) In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the Jordanians will be 
following up on their request for continued oil concessions 
or monetary assistance.  Charge reviewed delivery of the U.S. 
demarche (ref b) in this regard, and Mulki expressed his 
appreciation.  However, he said the Jordanians had learned 
that the UAE had decided to decline the request and, in order 
to avoid any embarrassment, was reportedly lobbying Kuwait to 
join them.  Mulki suggested we find a way to tell Emirati 
officials that "they may not want to dance, but they 
shouldn't turn off the music," i.e., stop lobbying the 
Kuwaitis. 
HALE