US embassy cable - 05AMMAN2942

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002942 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2015 
TAGS: KHDP, MASS, PGOV, PREL, IS, JO 
SUBJECT: OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE HUMANITARIAN AND ECONOMIC 
BENEFITS OF PEACE 
 
REF: AMMAN 1123 
 
Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 5. 
 
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Summary 
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2. (C) Israeli assistance in the removal of mines laid by 
Israel in the Wadi Araba region of Jordan would highlight the 
humanitarian and economic benefits of the 1994 Jordan-Israel 
peace treaty. End Summary. 
 
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Israeli Land Mines in Jordan 
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3. (U) There are approximately 70,000 mines laid by the 
Israeli military on lands that reverted to Jordanian control 
after the signing of Jordan's 1994 peace agreement with 
Israel. Most of these mines are in the Wadi Araba  and Aqaba 
areas in southern Jordan. A cooperative humanitarian demining 
effort between the two countries could provide a visible 
example of the tangible benefits resulting from Jordan's 
strategic decision for peace. The symbolism of landmine 
removal along the shared border and the prevention of 
civilian casualties would serve both sides well. Cooperative 
demining would also open the Wadi Araba and Aqaba areas to 
further touristic and agricultural development. 
 
4. (C) As reftel described, the removal of Israeli landmines 
on Jordanian soil carries a greater risk of casualties if 
attempted without Israeli assistance. It is always safer for 
a country to remove its own mines since the military force 
that laid them has familiarity with the type of devices used, 
the pattern of mines within a minefield, and the techniques 
used for laying the mines. Additionally, in order to remove 
the Israeli mines, the Jordanian Royal Engineering Corps 
(REC), the military unit charged with demining, would require 
extensive retraining that would drain resources from other 
demining efforts. 
 
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Comment and Action Request 
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5. (C) Post recommends encouraging the GOI to respond 
favorably to a Jordanian request for assistance in demining 
the Wadi Araba and Aqaba regions, both to counter the dangers 
in removing Israeli mines and to help showcase the benefits 
of Arab cooperation with Israel. It is in our strong interest 
to encourage practical, cross-border Israeli-Jordanian 
cooperation, particularly in the wake of the Sharm summit and 
the return of a Jordanian ambassador to Israel, as a means to 
demonstrate the humanitarian and economic advantages of 
normalized relations. Along with engagement of the GOI, a 
relatively modest U.S. contribution of funds for spare parts 
for Jordan's existing de-mining equipment could help 
facilitate a joint landmine removal effort. Post would 
appreciate Department's reaction. 
 
6. (C) Comment continued:  The proposed demining would 
contribute to the reinvigoration of the Jordan Rift Valley 
Joint Master Plan (JRVJMP) that provided an integrated vision 
of the economic development of the Jordan Rift Valley, 
including a wide variety of bilateral Jordanian-Israeli 
projects across and along the border.  JRVJMP was part of the 
trilateral U.S.-Jordan-Israel Joint Economic Committee now in 
the process of being revived. End Comment. 
HALE